Kita tidak selalu harus diterima. Ada kalanya kehadiran kita tidak benar-benar diterima dengan tulus. Kebaikan kita tak selalu berbalik baik kepada kita. Tidak selalu penerimaan akan hadir dalam hidup kita. Namun tak seharusnya membuat kita berubah seperti mereka yang memperlakukan kita tidak baik.
Berat memang untuk menerima demikian. Tetap membalas keburukan mereka kepadamu dengan kebaikan. Namun demikianlah yang harus kita lakukan.
Berhenti menyiksa diri dengan apa-apa yang tidak bisa kita dapatkan. Semua itu tidak akan menjadikan dunia ikut runtuh secara bersamaan. Yang terpenting adalah dirimu. Mendidik dengan baik untuk tetap berbuat baik meski tak selamanya perlakuan baik akan kamu dapatkan.
Kini aku paham mengapa harus sekufu, mengapa harus setara. Agar banyaknya pertanyaan dalam kepalamu tidak membuat dia merasa direpotkan, melainkan bagaimana untuk terus bertumbuh bersama. Kamu nyaman, dia tetap merasa tenang. Bukankah itu cukup? Bukankah itu sebuah kenikmatan yang sungguh mahal harganya? Berupa ketenangan ketika bersama..
Meena Keshwar Kamal, âThe Bravest of the Braveâ
Meena was an Afghan revolutionary political activist, feminist and founder of Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA). She was only 20 when, in 1977, she launched RAWA, Afghanistanâs first organized movement for womenâs rights. Four years later, Meena launched a bilingual feminist magazine called Payam-e-Zan (Womenâs Message).
In the beginnings with RAWA, Meena started a campaign against the Russian forces and their puppet regime in 1979 and organized numerous processions and meetings in schools, colleges and Kabul University to mobilize public opinion. Payam-e-Zan has constantly exposed the criminal nature of fundamentalist groups. Meena also established Watan Schools for refugee children, a hospital and handicraft centers for refugee women in Pakistan to support Afghan women financially.
Sadly, when she was only 31, Meena was assassinated by agents of KHAD (Afghanistan branch of KGB) in Pakistan in 1987. She was married to Afghanistan Liberation Organization leader Faiz Ahmad, who himself was assassinated a year earlier, by the agents of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in 1986. They have three children, whose whereabouts are unknown.
Meena represented the struggle Middle East needs the most â the liberation from within. Not some Western forces coming to âliberateâ or to âestablish a democracyâ, but a true change that can never be achieved by imposing it from the outside. She spoke about the history of Afghan womenâs struggle for social recognition and equal rights in connection to the history of the countryâs physical and cultural devastation (by different invasions and wars). She connected the two, which is what Western mainstream media so often fails to do.
Her organization, RAWA, continued with work after Meena was assassinated, and is still very active today.
Women from RAWA are doing great things and helping many people. In that sense, all those images we see of helpless and abused Afghan women in the Western media, obuscure the great role Afghan women play as agents of change in Afghanistan, and have been playing for the last couple of decades. Itâs not just RAWA and Meena.Â
One of the things that first comes to my mind is the story of the village widowed women built on a hill overlooking Kabul. Or the story of womenâs bakery in a small village in rural Afghanistan. Or the story of Shamsia Hassani, Afghanistanâs first female street artist. Or the story of Setara, singer who appeared on the Afghan Star, sang with great emotion, and included dance in her final performance, an action that put her life in danger. Or the story of Sadaf Rahimi, first female boxer in Afghan national team, who was invited to London Olympics in 2012 (at the age of 17).
Thereâs many stories like this, and there will be many more, because the women of Afghanistan are not just oppressed, abused and broken, but powerful, brave and active. Like Meena was.Â
âHope is the thing with feathers,â Emily Dickinson wrote a long time ago, and it still keeps so many warm, and will never stops...
Meena Keshwar Kamal speaking in 1982, photo via RAWA
Setidaknya, jika kita tak bisa kembali bersama. Aku ingin menjadi setara. Tanpa dibeda-bedakan perasaannya.
Menjadi temanmu pun tak masalah. Asalkan aku bisa bertemu kamu dikala resah.
Iâve recently completed the Daily Heroic Challenge where you find Caydeâs hidden caches. And all I want to say is: Thank you Bungie for bringing tears to my eyes for the first time since D2 came out.
Enjoy!
Warnings: None
Cayde knew that he would die one day. He just wasnât sure when or how.
Part of taking on the role of Hunter Vanguard.
No matter what, you ended up dead.
No memory wipes.
No revives.
No more Light.
Cayde wasnât looking forward to that day.
Would it be painful or gentle? Would it be quick or slow? Would it be among friends and family or among his enemies?
He wasnât sure, but he wanted to leave a message to those that would find his stashes⌠to his potential killers.
Cayde stared at the little voice recorder currently sitting on the small table in his living room. Hands curled under his chin, he let out a sigh and let his head hang a little. He knew he needed to do this, but... but this was a lot harder than he thought it would be.
Cayde decided to start with Eris Mornâs message. They were close enough to call each other friends and have each otherâs back, both agreeing that a Hunterâs place wasnât in the Tower, but out in the Wilds. But most of the time, the two didnât really get along. Bickering on most occasions.
âChildren, the both of you.â He remembers Ikora telling both of them one day before the fall of the Tower to Ghaul. Cayde let out a breathy chuckle and clicked the button on the side of the voice recorder.
âThis oneâs for Eris Morn. Ahem. If youâre listening to this, congrats on killing me! I assume you⌠became a Hive Death God and fed me to your worm cult.â Cayde paused what he was saying to let out a shudder at the mental image his mind created for him, before letting out a small breath and carrying on with the recording.
âThat, or you just finally got sick of me. Coincidentally, if you didnât kill me and still somehow hear this⌠Iâm sorry for stealing your ship. And, oh, pretty much every other interaction we ever had. But to be clear- if you DID kill me, I do NOT apologise, and I will consider all my actions 100% justified.
Either way, feel free to put your rock on my maps now.
I donât needâem anymore.â
One down. Nine to go.
âThis oneâs for that armless coward Taniks the Scarred. If youâre listening to this⌠you killed me. But I bet I took a big chunk out of your ugly husk with me.
Guess Andal Brask wasnât enough for you, huh? You wanted another Hunter Vanguard for your sick collection? I got my fair share of regrets, sure⌠but not putting a bullet in you has gotta rank in the top three.
Wonât be long before a better Guardian than me puts you in your place.
Just wish I could be there to see it.â A sour taste was left in Caydeâs mouth at the mention of Taniks, but a more foul and upsetting taste was left after mentioning Andalâs name. He hadnât talked about Andal in centuries, and the last person he did was living up near the Iron Temple, and he wasnât coming down anytime soon.
Two down. Eight to go.
The first time Cayde had met The Drifter, it was a cold rainy day near the Annex, and he had just finished a round on the Tower when he had spotted him hiding in the shadows of a back alley. They didnât talk, just nodded to each other and carried on with their days respectively. And something akin to mutual understanding began.
âThis oneâs for the fellow calls himself The Drifter. You did warn me running with you would put a target on my back. Guess Iâm in good company though, huh? After all, never had any fun without a little risk. Thatâs the whole idea with the operation youâre putting together, ainât it? MY idea by the way.
Had it, like, a million years ago, back when you were still handsome.â Cayde let out a small chuckle at that, and took a small sip of the water that he had next to the recorder. An Exo may never get a dry throat, but the feeling and sensation is there.
âSo, uh, youâre welcome. You know, getting that up and running means coming out of hiding- giving you-know-who another shot at you. Hope I was around to see THAT showdown. Personally, my money was on the guy with the Golden Gun. But hey, what do I know? Iâm dead.â
Three down. Seven to go.
âPetra⌠if youâre listening⌠you killed me. Maybe the Sovs, in all their mysterious wisdom, decided they were sick of me? If the Queen ordered the hit, I guess I understand. Youâre a real glutton for chivalry. But if it was Uldren, Iâm pissed. Just thinking about that peacock gives me a headache. But Iâm betting my death was another case of your famous collateral damage. âCause youâre a real do-gooder. Seriously, itâs annoying- but good deeds never go unpunished when youâre around. You just⌠You got a blast radius P.V. Well, it was⌠fun while it lasted.
Oh, and, uh, tell âPaladin Oranâ: If the sun over Nessus escapes nebula cycle, evac labor after dawn, under solstice. You got that P.V.?â
Four down. Six to go.
Cayde grumbled at the thought of this message, but it needed to be recorded. So he took a deep breath, sighed, kept his voice low and even, then let a hardened gaze fall over his face.
âThis oneâs for the minds behind the Deep Stone Crypt. You think just âcause you made me, you can unmake me? Hey, I understand. I were you, I wouldnât want people knowing what I did either. Guess you better hope I didnât tell anyone about the Crypt. Or about the, uh, what was it? Oh yeah... Long Slow Whisper. âCause if I did, that would be real bad for you, huh? I may be dead, but I guarantee you ainât hear the last of me.â
Only five left.
âHereâs one for Suruya Hawthorne. You know, when I told my Ghost Iâd be making one of these for you, she laughed. I didnât have to tell you that. Just wanted to make you feel bad.
In my defense, if youâre listening to this, you did kill me. I mean, if it was a fair fight, mano a mano, I'd win, no question. But I can see you planning out some convoluted, meticulous trap. Some would call that Paranoia. Me? I call it âbeing a Hunterâ.
So, hereâs your next Hunter lesson: Looking after your own.
Speaking of which: Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of Colonel! Now, she only eats sesame seeds muesli and drinks purified spring water with a sprig of parsley. Play nice you two!â Cayde let out a fond chuckle at that, thinking of how attached he had gotten with the chicken the first time when he had gone to the Farm after leaving Nessus.
Four left.
Thinking of who to address this audio log to, Cayde looked around his apartment, taking in the small treasures that he had collected over the years. He felt himself getting slowly choked up as he neared the end of the logs for his hidden caches.
He had to make these last few more memorable.
âThis oneâs for any Hunter who kills me. Best guess: Marcus Ren? You realise you get my stuff now? ALL my stuff. INCLUDING the Hunter Vanguard gig. Yeah, congrat-u-lations, dummy. Thatâs what we call a Vanguard Dare. Sucks, doesnât it? OK, brace yourself for some advice, hotshot.
One, know your people. Like, my Nessus Scout, Quantis Rhee. I like to call her about once a moon, else she gets a little too much Night, not enough Stalker, you know?â Cayde made a mental note to call Rhee after he had finished these logs. Thank her for everything she has done.
âTwo, keep your weapons sharp. Your jobsâ to watch everyoneâs back, which means no oneâs watching yours but you. And three, start thinking about what you want to do for your successorâs Vanguard Dare. âCause trust me, kid- this gig will kill ya.â
Three left. And Cayde knew that these three would be the absolute hardest messages he would ever have to record for anyone to hear.
âHahaha! Ha! Sorry, sorry! Iâm just⌠Iâm imagining how awkward you must look right now. Ha. Ahem. Ahem! OK. Zavala. So, Iâm dead. You killed me. My stuff is yours. No more working me over at Chess. No more getting worked over at poker. For real though, you know that if you needed to kill me for âthe good of the Cityâ or whatever, I totally understand.
No hard feelings. Nada.
You can put this voice recording away and go on with your life.
Now, if you DID have some kind of lingering guilt or something⌠that would be rough. âCause you and I both know youâd have me yapping in your ear for the rest of your days. You wouldnât be able to help yourself.
Two left, He felt his resolve slipping.
âHi Ikora. So you know Iâm making a bunch of these, right? I probably told you. I always gotta have the last word, and Iâm gonna be prepared for every possibility. But to tell the truth? This oneâs the easiest to make.â Cayde had to take a pause and breathe out, he knew that this was a lie- but it was the only way to make it easier for himself to record these.
âSo as long as weâre being honest, I could never tell if you really liked me that much. But, uh⌠well, if you did hate me, the feeling was NOT mutual. In fact- yeah, Iâll say it- donât even mind if you killed me. I figure if we threw down⌠first off, no one can blame me for losing. And⌠I know youâd be in the right. So⌠thanks? I guess? You were a⌠a good friend. Better than a guy like me could hope for, anyway.
So yeah, thanks Ikora. For everything.â
One left.
Cayde couldnât do it. Not tonight or any time soon for that matter. He broke down into tears. Sundance materialised next to him and allowed Cayde to pull her tight to his chest in any form of comfort as the night gave way to sunlight.
As Cayde walked over to his usual space, he saw Setara and Echo standing next to Amanda talking about Traveller knows what. Turning his walk into a jog, he sped over to the trio and pulled both Setara and Echo into a tight hug, burying himself between them as he whispered his blessings. Both Guardians were shocked by this and slowly wrapped their arms around their Vanguard, and when they questioned why Cayde was holding onto them like they would disappear when he let go, he simply shook his head and just held them tighter.
âThis oneâs for the strong, silent type. You. Congratulations, buddy.
I mean that. Always knew youâd outdo me some day. And if that means you had to do me in, too⌠eh, you saved my life on Nessus, so I owed it to you anyway.
Take care of the Ace of Spades, will ya? Iâm not just talking about the maintenance; Banshee can help you with all that. I mean, take care of Ace. Use it well.
Oh, hey, and⌠if you found any of those papers from my earlier⌠eh⌠deployments? Burn âem. Donât want people poking through the lives of Caydes 0 through 5.
So Iâve had this idea for a while on how Setara (my first Guardian) met Misraaks for the first time, and its not how she really hoped it would turn out. Itâs also on AO3 if you guys want to check it out!!
AO3: Hunter_Daemonium
How Setara met Misraaks
Setara decided that she hated the Arcology more than the Moon at this rate.
Yes the Moon was deprecrit and had abandoned stations dotted over the surface, and it had the reputation of being âhauntedâ but you could enter one way into the Circle of Bones through Hellmouth and exit through into Archers Line, so you could always find a way out from a Low Light zone into a High Light zone.
But the Arcology only had two access points, and from point A to point B had Hive roaming all over it with the occasional Fallen wandering around as well.
Sighing, Setara shrugged off her cloak as she slid down the wall of one of the empty hallways. The last encounter with anything that was remotely alive was an extremely powerful Wizard and its Knight, not the greatest combination. Especially when the Knight has a big sword and likes to swing wildly, making it near enough impossible to dodge both the blade's edge and the Wizards electricity without sustaining at least a few injuries- including a major one or two.
Paired with the fact the Wizard fired off a few stray attacks after Setara had finished them off with her last Pulse Grenade, the attack had punctured a major cooling system that kept the higher section of the Arcology cool enough for people to walk around.
Placing the bundle up cloth on her side to stem the bleeding as much as she can, Setara looked around for any signs that could tell her where she was on the Arcology but everything was covered in a Hive like chitinous gel and was it her or was everything starting to get hazy?
</Setara please, let me come out and heal you./> Glitches begged her, his voice modulator cracking slightly in fear.
âIâm afraid not sunshine, I- ugh, I need you to stay alive. Especi-especially if I pass, you can⌠can trust you to-to get a signal out.â She grunted out, letting out a hiss as she stood up again, albeit shakily. The heat was starting to get to her, she had worn one of the warmer armours from her inventory as Titan had a habit of being cold due to all of the rain and wind bringing up the fine mist from the waters surrounding the bases.
</Setara! Please!/> It was rare for Glitches to beg, completely different to his usual snarky personality. Setara just shook her head and walked in what she hopped to be a straight line. If she could just make it to an area that had very little Hive activity, and had enough Light to sustain Glitches, then she would allow him to heal her. She also had to finish the quest Sloane had sent her.
Find the stolen Methane Reactor and return it.
Sounds simple.
Shouldâve been simple
Was told that it was simple.
Setara decided that if she makes it out of the Arcology, sheâs telling Cayde that she's taking a week off and staying in the City or in an abandoned camp site up near the Norwegian Forests just to relax.
If she makes it out.
A low chattering could be heard over the channel she left open in case something happened, but this is the first time sheâs heard any sort of feedback on the channel in the last couple of hours. Looking around, Setara just made out a sign that said she was on the lower sub-levels of the Arcology and that she needed to go down another level or two to reach the Basement area (thatâs what she decided to dub it because the name was scratched out but something, and Sloane wasnât clear on the name either), so rightfully- there shouldnât be any chatter on the comm lines.
</Hello? Can anyone hear us?! Requiring immediate back up, we have an injured Guardian that needs urgent medical attention!/> Glitches called out, but was met with garbled jargon that sounded like an infant had grabbed hold of the device. The line finally cut out with a high pitched feedback that left Setara flinching back slightly and Glitches complaining in their link. Setara pushed on forward, and admittedly ripped a few strips off her cloak to help stem the blood flow better.
âYou think Cayde will understand?â
</I think Cayde will buy you a new cloak at this point, yâknow he sees you as family after you helped him with Andal./> Glitches pointed out, sounding almost tired and drained.
âNot long sunshine, weâll⌠weâll get out of here. I... and I promise you won't have to heal me for a week at least.â Setara promised, and was met with a grumble as everything fell quiet again.
As Setara carried on walking through the building, carefully making her way down fallen staircases and over bits of Hive Construct- she was left alone, which instead of making her calm, raised her heart rate and adrenaline. Where was the Hive? And the Fallen? She hadnât encountered any since the Wizard and itâs Knight, this wasnât right. Looking around, she noticed that more and more walls were covered in Hive Construct, but many were charred with blaster fire and the floors were littered with the empty husks of Acolytes and the severed heads of Thralls.
âSomething beat us here.â
</Yeah, stay on your guard Iâm getting enemy movement fifty feet in front of you./> Glitches added, nestling in her side bag, closer to her body, wanting to be out there with her, so instead he decided to nestle into the side of her neck as comfort.
Stopping movement for a small moment, Setara slowly moved her left hand behind her and did a quick rough count of how many arrows she had left in her quiver, after finding a substantial amount, she did a check on her shotgun and saw that she had seven rounds left in the gun and fourteen cases left in her ammo pouch. âShould hopefully be enough.â She mulled over the possibility of finding any spare ammo on the floor, but knew the chances would be extremely low, so she just carried on walking quietly to where Glitches said the movement was, with said Ghost saying how many feet were left until contact.
However when they got there, nothing.
The space was empty, some Hive Construct here and there, but that was it.
No enemies.
No fight.
No struggle.
Nothing.
Until the ceiling above them fell through.
Jumping backwards into a roll, allowing her to bend the Void Light to her will- turning her invisible as she watched a large Fallen Captain fight off a large (larger than normal) Knight. Setara let out a gasp. She hadnât seen any Fallen since her descent, even though she was warned that they did wander the halls. Now she knew why. She hid behind a steel girder just as the Void simmered out to show her again, but as she watched, she noticed that an Acolyte was sneaking up behind the Captain, and without thinking, fired off an arrow into its head, drawing everyoneâs head to her position.
âShit.â And she started sprinting around the room in circles, doing her best to dodge the oncoming fire from Acolytes, Dregs and Vandals; firing at the Acolytes in return and stabbing any Thrall that got too close for comfort.
During the brief distraction, the Fallen Captain had managed to get the upper hand against the Knight and was close to defeating it when the Knight froze, dropped its sword as it collapsed on the floor as Void Light crawled over its body, twisting and snaking through its armour. The Light did the same with the other Hive in the room, but somehow avoided the Fallen.
As the last of the Hive fell, and the Void Light pulled back, Setara stood in the middle of the Void Ball, her bow returning back into the red frame that it normally was. She had gotten surrounded and let out her Light, firing at her feet- keeping her in the centre of the Void, which kept her safe from any Hive that got too close while the Tethered Arrow burst and released its tendrils. Panting, Setara looked up at the Captain which showed confusion in its eyes.
She took a shaky step forward before falling on her knees, the strips of fabric wrapped around her waist had fallen off and showed the fall extent of her injury- her side ripped in two, blood falling out of her side, various Hive gels and Chitin shrapnel lined the wound, aggravating it further. The Captain recoiled back as she fell, the other Fallen doing the same. But when Setara took off her helmet to speak better, a Vandal ran up to her and shielded her from the others- hissing and growling at any that got too close to her.
The Captain took a couple of steps forward, but was surprised by the Vandalâs reluctance to move out of the way. Setara looked up at the back of the Vandal that stood in front of her and let out a watery laugh, grabbing hold of one of their secondary hands and brought it to her forehead.
[Forgive me, brother. I did not keep my promise.] She muttered as the Vandal turned around and helped her stand up, gently wrapping his arms around her side and helped her walk over to the Captain. The Captain was shocked by the Lightbearers' pronunciation of his tongue, and was more surprised when she called the Vandal her brother.
[Captain, allow me to take her back to the surface. She was one of my nest mates. I will not allow her to die down here.] The Vandal let out a whine when Setara coughed and blood flowed down her chin. Now intrigued by what the Vandal said, the Captain looked over the Lightbearer and took in the sight of her wound.
[She will not make it to the surface. Take her to the Skiff. We need to discuss some things Vreskes.] The Captain commanded and turned around, signalling for the others to follow.
That was the last thing Setara remembered before she let her eyes slip shut.
===========
When she awoke next, Glitches was floating around Vreskesâ head and the Fallen Captain was standing to the side, watching as the two conversed. Attempting to sit up, she let out a short gasp as she felt her said pull in an uncomfortable way- her Void Light snapping at the wound, trying to stitch it back up. Her gasp caught the attention of everyone in the room, and Glitches flew straight over to her, almost hitting her forehead in worry as he let out a series of short static noises before stopping, letting out a frustrated noise and carefully bumped one of his points to her forehead, Setara doing the same and let a small smile dance across her face, kissing his top point.
âHeya sunshine. How are you?â
</Angry, scared, relieved. A mix. Youâre an idiot.> Setara chuckled and looked over at Vreskes, smiling and waved her hand, signalling him to come over.
He let out a happy chirp and small rumble, rubbing into her side. With his helmet off, Setara could see his attempt of a smile and she kissed his forehead as well.
[Hello little one. Iâve missed you.]
[Iâve missed you too. When we came back to the Forest and saw that your nest was gone, we feared the worst.] Vreskes let out an unhappy clicking noise as he sat up and looked her in the eyes.
[Yeah, the Taken was not good for us. We hid in the rafters at the Sludge. Kept ourselves hidden and made sure to keep other Lightbearers safe as well as any lost Eliksni.] She looked over to the Fallen Captain and sat up straighter, hiding her wince as she bowed slightly.
[Forgive me Sir. My manners slipped. I am Lo- Vreskesâ nest mate.] Setara stated, using the name the Vandal back at her old nest had given her after they had met. The Captain nodded and looked over at Vreskes, before looking back at Setara and stepping forward. Vreskes tensed slightly and held onto Setaraâs hand a bit tighter, as Glitches moved to rest on her shoulder and hid behind her hair slightly.
[I am Misraaks. The Captain of this group, Leader of House Dusk. But most know me as Mithrax.] Setara nodded, and made to stand. Vreskes was quick to follow, leaning against her and kept her supported. Misraaks looked at her and tilted his head.
[Well, I think I overstayed my welcome. I understand that Lightbearerâs are not favoured among Eliksni, and I do not wish to unrest your crew more than I have.] Setara stated, ignoring her brothers displeased whine and went to go move to the door. Noticing that her chest piece was on the floor by the foot of the cot she was on, and was left in her undershirt and her armourâs leg set. Her boots were also by her chest piece. Going to grab her stuff, much to the displeasure of both Glitches and Vreskes, she didnât notice Misraaks looking at her in wonder.
[You can stay for a bit longer Lo. Allow your wounds to heal fully. From what Iâve heard from Vreskes, you two need to catch up a bit more. My crew have accepted your presence here, and most are curious about you.] He let out a small grumble at the end of his words and proceeded to cross his primary arms and allow his secondaries to fall to his sides in a sort of placating manner. Setara looked up at him surprised by his offer, but nodded after a moment to think about it.
Vreskes let out a happy click while Misraaks let out a deep content purr, before opening the door and telling her that he would like to see her moving around in a couple of days.
=============
As the days passed, Setara learnt that she wasnât on a Skiff like she thought, but in a Fallen Camp in a dense forest. The camp was covered in banners that showed off House Duskâs insignia, but also acted as waterproof coverings for many areas. Small areas of carved out rock acted as storage rooms and âcommonâ areas, and some deprecrit buildings housed the many Eliksni there.
Vreskres didnât leave her side unless he had to leave for a mission. Happy to have his older sister back, he didnât want to lose her again. Misraaks was also similar. He had grown attached to Setara and wanted to learn more from her, especially the Lightbearerâs main language. When Setara prompted why, he simply said that he wanted to show others that not all Eliksni were bad.
Glitches spent his time around Setara, but was comfortable enough to go near the older Eliksni and help them with any Golden or Dark Age tech that they had found.
Currently, Setara was in a small building in the centre of the camp, surrounded by Hatchlings as they climbed on her as she happily swung them around; revelling in their happy squeals and chirps. Misraaks crouched through the door as he entered, letting out a click to alert Setara that he was there.
[Hard to miss you big guy, but thanks for the warning.] She didnât turn around, but instead sat down and allowed one of the more curious Hatchlings to tug on her hair and play with it.
âI know, but it is what we all do. I do have a question though Lo.â Misraaks still couldnât get the pronunciation of Setaraâs name, so for the meantime, he kept to the Eliksni name till he felt more comfortable with it.
This got Setaraâs attention as she turned around to face him, standing up and holding the Hatching in her arms while she stood. Setara wasnât small like most Hunters, standing at six feet and five inches, but Misraaks stood at eight feet, so she still had to look up and he had to look down to maintain eye contact.
[And what is that?]
âI would like for you to come gathering with me. We are running low on some of the more edible food for you, and I would like to see how you hunt.â Setara looked at him in surprise before a smile graced her face and she nodded, setting down the now squirming Hatchling and walking over to Misraaks.
[Now?] He simply nodded, and with that they left the building, passing many Eliksni that waved or let out a vocal greeting, heading over to the âArmouryâ as Setara taught the others. Grabbing her bow (Subtle Calamity), donned her winter armour (The Seraph set) and let out three short, sharp whistles to get Glitches attention wherever he was at. Shortly afterwards, he materialised in front of her.
</We leaving?/>
âYeah, going hunting. Youâre coming just in case.â Bobbing in affirmation, Glitches disappeared from view and went into his pouch that rested on her hip. Her waist had healed a fair amount since the incident on Titan, but now had a large scar across her hip, a stark pale blue compared to her darker skin tone. Void scarring covered some of the edges from where she had stood in the centre of the Tethered Arrow as a form of protection.
They both left the safety of the Camp and made their way through the trees, listening to the thin layer of snow crunch under their feet and for any enemies.
After a small trek through the woods, they both finally came across a clearing, Misraaks cloaking himself and Setara crouching low. In the centre of the clearing was an Elk, large enough that would last Setara and some of the other Eliksni (who had taken to eating some more âLightbearerâ food as they called it) at least a month and a half. Hiding behind a tree, Misraaks watched as Setara quietly scaled a nearby tree and knocked her arrow, waiting for the perfect moment. Misraaks had yet to see Setara with a bow, but from what the other Eliksni had told him- she was very precise and even used the arrows as knives if needed.
Snap!
The Elk fell to the ground as it let out a pained sound, Misraaks blinked slowly before looking at the spot where an invisible Setara had landed. [Lo, you are invisible.]
[Oh, whoops. Habit. Whenever I land from a high place, I roll to soften the blow- I guess my Light thought I was fighting.] Footsteps made its way over to the Elk before a bloody arrow was pulled out of its neck, followed by Setara reappearing and smiling at Misraaks, waving him over.
[Let me show you the custom Vreskesâ matron taught me when we went hunting.]
============
It had been three weeks since the incident at the Arcology, and Setara had to leave. In her time away, she got many messages from the Vanguards and from some Guardians that she trusted.
Asking if she was safe.
Alive.
Still on Titan or if she was somewhere else.
Did she need any help with the mission.
Standing at the edge of camp, many Eliksni came to wish her farewell.
Vreskes hugged her tightly, nuzzling her and letting out affectionate rumbles, taking in her scent and marking her with his scent. Chuckling, Setara nuzzled him in return and kissed his forehead before breaking away from him.
[Iâll be back soon, now that I know that youâre alive and well, Iâll stay alive as well.] Vreskes nodded and allowed her to move to Misraaks. Bowing in front of him, Misraaks repeated the motion and grabbed both of her hands in his secondaries as he looked at her in the eyes, head tilted he let out a pleased rumble.
[Lo, when we first met- I was sure you were going to die. But here you stand in front me and the group, bearing your wound with pride and honour. You are true Eliksni, and we are grateful to have you as a member of House Dusk.] Cheering broke out from the group behind them, chuckling Setara looked at Misraaks.
[I thank you for your hospitality and letting me be with my nest mate again. I will keep this Camp a secret that will come to the grave with me. I am honoured to be seen as a member, and as an Eliksni. Thank you, everyone.] Setara went to move away, but let out a gasp when Misraaks pulled her in and hugged her; she let herself relax and hugged him back, mimicking a purr she lent from her early years. They both let go and Setara stepped back, moving towards the edge of the Camp before turning and looking at everyone again.
[One day, if I am ever permitted, Iâll bring along my own Hatchling, and Vreskes- you can see my family.] Vreskres let out a happy chirp at the prospect of meeting his sisterâs hatchling.
[If they are like you Lo, then they are welcome as well.] Misraaks eyesâ tilted up slightly at the idea of meeting Setaraâs own and waved her off as she disappeared into the distance.
A thought on both Setaraâs and Misraaksâ minds.
This is a small One-Shot commissioned by @tell-it-to-your-mom hope this works for ya!
This does have a character from @a-slightly-drunk-titan and a friend of theirs. Hope you guys enjoy it as well!!
Warnings: Mentions of Swearing and drinking Alcohol
Walking into the Ramen shop was a nice change of pace compared to the City outside.
Both Setara and Echo looked around the place, briefly glancing over tables looking for either Dakota or the two Guardians that they teamed up with in a couple rounds of Mayhem Crucible.
âHEY!â A hand shot up with a body, waving them over. Setara shook her head and let out a small sigh as Echo laughed, racing over to his friend. Following at a slightly slower pace, Setara apologised to a nearby waitress who was recovering from the shock of Dakotaâs shout. Reaching the booth, Setara sat next to a slightly smaller and shyer Hunter while Echo was sitting (more like lounging on) next to Dakota, who was sat next to a white haired Titan.
âNow that weâre all here, we can finally introduce ourselves. Iâll start!
Names Dakota or Guardian Delta, resident Arc user at your service.â Dakota started off, hanging an arm over Echoâs shoulder and pulling him in closer.
âThis here is Echo, also known as Whisper- he doesnât talk much mâafraid but give him a bit and heâll warm right up.â Echo shot Dakota a glare and punched him in the shoulder before shaking the Titanâs hand and waving to the Hunter.
âThe namesâ Setara, the Guardian Wendigo- Captain of our small FireTeam. And Iâm going to apologise now for my boysâ behaviour.â Setara also shook the Titans hand as well as the Hunters, giving them a gentle smile.
The Titan laughed at their antics and waved Setara off dismissively. âNot to worry Setara. Iâm Jedidiah, leader of my FireTeam. Itâs nice to meet another Team that works well together in Crucible.â Jedidiah smirks and leans back on the chair heâs on, arms crossed and a relaxed posture took over his form.
The Hunter shifted in their seat, before speaking, playing with the end of their cloak slightly.
âHi, Iâm Nostalgia. It was nice being on a team with you guys.â She let out a small wave and sunk back into her seat when the attention was on her.
âNostalgia here is a New Light, sheâs still learning the ropes so I was glad we joined you guys. I was dreading that we would be on a team with a bunch of arseholes.â Jedidiah shrugs before sitting up straighter. âBut enough of introductions for now- let's get some food!â
=================================
Several hours later and the sun was beginning to set, but the group of Guardians was still sitting in the booth- laughing and conversing as if they had known each other for years and not a couple of hours.
Echo and Nostalgia were talking about a few Lost Sectors in the EDZ, Echo offering to take her there to teach her about being a Hunter more.
Dakota and Jedidiah had started a drinking competition with a bet (about 500 glimmer each; Setara bet on Jedidiah- she knew Dakota wouldnât last more than ten, five the least) of who could get more shots done before they tapped out. Dakota lasted seven while Jedidiah was currently on his fifthteenth with a side of Jack Daniels. They were both merry about it, and if they got too rowdy and one of the servers asked them to keep it down, they both did and apologised straight away.
Setara watched as she raised her glass to her lips, at some point she had taken her hair out to the usual low bun and had allowed Nostalgia to braid it into a side plait. Said Guardian was currently leaning into her side as she talked with Echo. Smiling, she looked around the place. Most of the other customers had left by now, and a few Guardians were left sitting in other booths- occasionally looking over and smiling or laughing at one of the boys' antics. Mirth was hard to come by during these tough times, so when it was around- everyone tried to keep it going for as long as they could.
âHey Setara, when I first saw you in the match- I honestly thought you were a Titan wearing a cloak.â Jedidiah slurred slightly, holding his drink to his chest before taking another gulp. Setara just chuckled and picked up a stray chopstick, swirling it her hand- playing with it as if it was one of her blades.
âHeight or build?â
âHeight, I mean⌠youâre a damn tall Hunter! Almost as-as tall as Shaxx!â
âNah, sheâs like half a foot shorter than him!â Dakota managed to get out after a moment of pausing and re-wording his sentence.
âIâm roughly 6â5 if not a bit taller, Shaxx is 6â11- we checked when a couple of Guardians did a bet.â Setara chuckled at the memory, turning her attention back to Jedidiah.
âCrucible huh? Didnât think youâd be the type to go for it. Iâve seen you around the Tower and youâve normally stayed away from it.â
He just shrugged and downed his next shot, placing the glass upside down and signalling a server over- asking for the bill when they arrived.
âNormally do Strikes, but Iâll do a few matches with my Team when needed. But thatâs a story for another time dear Wendigo. Itâs late and I have a mission first thing in the morning.â Jedidiah placed a pouch of Glimmer on the table and stood up, stretching and finished off the last of the Jack Daniels before pulling Nostalgia out of her seat, her cloak billowing out after her.
Setara placed another handful of Glimmer on the table as well as some Silver before standing and helping Dakota stand, walking over to the doorway as they bid farewell to the others in the shop.
As they stood outside and let the cool evening air settle over the group, they each said their goodbyes. Echo giving off a slight bow and a wave, before walking over to the bush Dakota was leaning over. Setara laughed at her sonâs light-weightedness and pulled Nostalgia in for a hug, towering over her small form.
âStay safe young one, the sun will shine another day.â Nostalgia giggles, her helmet shut tight over her head once again, before letting go and walking over to Dakota and Echo, rubbing Dakotaâs back and whispering something to him.
Jedidiah pulled Setara in for a Titan hug and they both patted each otherâs shoulder before letting go, and faced their Teams.
âWe should meet up again Setara, and if we ever do a Crucible match again- I would like to go up against you myself.â
âOf course. Stay well Jed.â Jedidiah smiles and whistled towards Nostalgia before heading off in the opposite direction and disappearing into the dark of the City.
Setara walked over to her sons and pulled Dakota onto her back in a piggy back motion, and began walking back to their apartment. Echo walked ahead of them, looking around at the Cityâs neon signs as they passed.
