Destiny 2: Putting "Horse" Into "Horsepower"

Chapter 4: The Last Safe City

Taiki-9 and his ship sit in orbit, waiting for the equine guardians to get their ship working and fly alongside them. Only a few more seconds pass before an old Arcadia-class ship emerges from the cosmodrome and sits in orbit with him.

"I see you finally got it to work." Taiki says through the radio. "How's she-" The exo is immediately cut off by Spe-7's sudden screaming.

"What in the world was THAT?!" Spe-7 shouts, making Taiki cringe. "You left me and Suzuka out there for the Fallen to attack us! Have you lost your mind?! I swear you're just like Trainer-san sometimes!"

"Trainer... San?" Ghost and Taiki mumble to themselves as Spe-7 continues shouting. Eventually Suzuka manages to calm her down and her soft voice can be heard more clearly.

"I'm terribly sorry about Special Week. She can be flamboyant like that sometimes." Suzuka says. "Anyways the ship is actually running really fine for it having been sitting out here for... How long?"

"I dunno, probably a good millennium?" Taiki replies. "Remember, we're guardians. Even I've forgotten how long it's been since I was first resurrected."

"That is true." Suzuka says. "So, where do we head now?"

"Where now? Why, to the Last City." Taiki replies. "The Last City, where humanity is truly safe and the home of the traveler. Set your location to there and leave the rest to your ghost." And with that the trio sets their location to the Last City. The two ships immediately take off and then begin to descent as they reenter Earth's atmosphere.

"I thought the Last City was going to be somewhere other than on Earth." Spe-7 says.

"It's a safe haven for humanity because just about everywhere else has some sort of lingering threat to it." Taiki replies. "Heads up, city's just ahead."

"Fang, make sure you dock in the hangar, I don't think the tower security's going to appreciate a sudden entrance." Ghost says.

"You got it." Fang replies as the two ships dock in the tower's hangar. The three guardians then step out and admire the view that they see in the hangar.

"Wow, this place really is the Last City, huh?" Suzuka asks.

"You can feel free to take off your helmet." Taiki replies as he takes off his, exposing his exo head once more.

"So are you a cyborg?" Spe-7 asks as she and Suzuka take off their helmets.

"I'm technically a robot but even I don't know much about my "kind" if you can call them my kind." Taiki replies. "Now let's get you acquainted with everyone you need to know. First person to meet ain't too far from here actually! Amanda!" He calls out and a tuft of blonde hair peeks out from a workshop.

"Hey! You came back! And with some- ooh! You got yourself some girls huh?" Amanda chuckles.

"Oh shut up, just got to know 'em and you're over here already fooling with me!" Taiki laughs. "Anyways, Spe-7, Suzuka, meet Amanda Holliday. She's the one that manages everyone's ships and sparrows."

"Sparrows? What are those?" Spe-7 asks.

"They're kinda like hoverbikes." Amanda explains. "If you have one you can summon one at will, but you two are very new so I doubt you actually have one. Anyways who are these two? They definitely look unique."

"That's Special Week, I just call her Spe-7 for short," Taiki begins. "And that's Silence Suzuka. Just call her Suzuka."

"You don't mind if I just call you Suzie?" Amanda asks.

"I don't mind." Suzuka replies.

"I don't want to keep you two from your tour around the tower- besides this sparrow definitely needs some working on. I'll always be in here if you need me!" Amanda says as Taiki leads Spe-7 and Suzuka out of the hangar and towards the courtyard.

"Over there's Kadi 55-30, don't mind the numbers after that... She's your postmaster and she'll pick up anything that you may have dropped." Taiki explains. "Then there's Tess Everis, who has cosmetics of all kinds... And standing over there is commander Zavala. That's the person I was talking to earlier." He finishes, and Zavala turns around upon hearing his name being called.

"Ah, Taiki-9, an honor to have you back." Zavala says with a ghost of a smile on his face. "I see you have brought our two new guardians here safe and sound."

"I have yes. This is Special Week and Silence Suzuka. I just call them Spe-7 and Suzuka respectively." Taiki replies. "They actually saved me while I was on patrol."

"Really? On their very first day?" Zavala asks before looking to them.

"Yup!" Spe-7 replies.

"A job well done you two. I don't want to keep you from your tour around the tower but do come back to see me later on." Zavala says as Taiki leads them to a different person. This one has a helmet with one horn- with the other broken off by unknown means- and his armor looks more barbaric.

"Spe-7, Suzuka, meet Lord Shaxx." Taiki says. "He runs the crucible, part training program, part TV show. It's televised all around the Last City."

"I don't just run the crucible." Shaxx replies. "I AM the crucible." He and Taiki start laughing. "Are you two perhaps guardians?"

"Fresh out of the grave I dare say." Taiki says. "I'm giving them a tour around the tower.

"I guess I shouldn't be holding you guys around. Feel free to go meet the others!" Shaxx chuckles as Taiki then leads the girls around once more, this time to the local gunsmith.

"Guardian." A gruff sounding voice calls out. It belongs to an orange and blue exo and he's just finished tuning up an auto rifle.

"That's Banshee-44, our gunsmith." Taiki says. "There's not really much I can say about him but you can calibrate stuff for him and he'll give you a little something in return. Now let's head to the plaza."

"There's still more?!" Spe-7 asks in disbelief.

"Don't worry, you'll get to do some actual stuff once we come back to Zavala." Taiki replies as the three head down.