William and the Dawning

SURPRISE! Merry Christmas everyone! After my last chapter I told everyone I was taking a break from Legend Untold to work on other projects, and this is one of them. You will be seeing more short stories like this soon, not all relating to Legend Untold. Enjoy reading, and I hope all of you hav a wonderful holiday season! ______________________________________ Snowflakes fell on my face, their soft, cold touch soothing me as they melted on contact with my warm skin. I lay in a drift of snow, looking up into a sky painted light grey with the clouds that carried the small flakes of ice. My breath misted out in front of me each time I exhaled, adding puffs of white to the shifting grey scenery above me. The Tower was alive with joy and games, everyone full of energy during this happy festival. Even the Vanguard seemed to be enjoying themselves. Although though the three of them were still stuck at their table making sure everything was in order, they seemed more relaxed as well as happy to see the other Guardians enjoying themselves so much. Every wire and cord in the Tower was decorated with clear crystals that rang like small bells when they bumped into each other, reflecting light in beautiful spectrums, and floating above Xander 99-40 the Bounty Tracker at the back end of the Tower was a large, brilliantly shining crystal surrounded by other smaller crystals. Winter had arrived, which explained the snow, and I had been so shocked by the beauty as it came. This was my first winter since being revived, and I was unused to the cold at first, but soon found that I loved it. At first the overcast sky had seemed rather gloomy to me, but I had gaped at the clouds with amazement when the first snowflakes fell and marveled at the glistening sheets of snow that formed over the ground. I found that I could not stop smiling as I saw it all each day; or at least that I smiled even more than usual. They joy was infectious, and as preparations for the Dawning began I had started zipping around the Tower, helping set up and asking everyone what this festival was for. The Dawning was a time of being with the people you cared for and of giving that occurred every winter, and today was the first day of the three-week-long festivities. The people of the Last City usually spent it with their friends and family, eating large meals, and giving each other presents. Guardians celebrated it by hanging out with their fireteams and other friends, by playing games and messing around, and by completing tasks to earn the armor and weapons crafted to match the season. My fireteam was gone. Sierra said she spent this time alone each year and Drew was gallivanting from bar to bar drinking way too much eggnog with a group of other Titans before they went out of the City to find some enemies to fight. Everyone else I knew was off who knows where to celebrate, and I was left to find something of my own to do. A white shape drifted into view, looking like a four-pointed giant snowflake with a glowing blue eye at its center. It was my Ghost. "William," Rush chided, "You are the last person I would expect to spend a holiday like this laying on the ground without anyone to talk with." "Sometimes it's nice to kick back and enjoy the scenery, little snowflake," I sighed dismissively, "And I have you." "You know I meant people besides me," Rush snapped, "And snowflake?" "You resemble a snowflake," I chuckled. "Whatever," Rush grumbled, "Now get your butt off the ground and find someone to enjoy your time with." "Alright, alright," I put my hands up in surrender. Snow slid off of my armor as I stood up, and I shivered as some of it found its way down my back. I looked back to see the figure of a person almost perfectly imprinted into the snow, arms and legs splayed out like a star, and yet another smile split my face. It's honestly surprising how the Vanguard doesn't have the Snow cleaned up when it builds up on top of the Tower. Letting my feet carry me wherever they pleased, I began wandering the Tower, seeking something to do or someone to share this time with. Decorations filled the hall towards the Speaker's observatory and a chorus of chatter filled it as I walked past groups of citizens and Guardians alike. Eva Levante's little corner that she set up her wares in was easily the most festive of all the vendors', and others had told me that she was always the most festive of all during each holiday that the City celebrated. "Hello William," Eva greeted me warmly as I turned the corner and approached, "I trust you've been enjoying your first day of the Dawning?" She was an older woman, smile lines creasing her face and touches of white running through her pale blonde hair, but Eva acted like someone in the prime of her youth, always enthusiastic and warm to others. The Tower would be a more dreary place without the joy that she brought. "It's been wonderful so far, thank you," I responded cheerfully, "I didn't know the Tower could be so cheerful." "But," Rush cut in, appearing over my shoulder, "He's been alone this whole time." "Now that just won't do," Eva chided, then thought for a moment before resuming. "I know, have you heard of the Sparrow Racing League?" She questioned. "Everyone's been talking about it, but I was too busy asking about the Dawning to learn much about it," I answered sheepishly. "Oh dear it's wonderful!" Eva told me, "Every year during the Dawning Festival, the Sparrow Racing league opens up tracks across the system for you Guardians to race your Sparrows on." "How do I enter?" I inquired. "It's associated with that Crucible that Shaxx runs, but Amanda Holiday is in charge of everything," she explained, "So you can ask one of them. We get to watch all of you race on the tracks through cameras, oh it is marvelous!" "Thank you Mrs. Levante," I said as I started turning to go. "Hold on William," Eva requested, digging through a drawer in her desk. I watched with interest as she pulled out the information chip to an armor shader, a red ribbon wrapped around it and tied in a bow. "This is for you," she offered, holding it out to me. "I couldn't," I replied, "I wouldn't want to take it without paying for it like the others." "Don't be silly," she chided, "This is a gift for the Dawning. I heard that you helped set up some of the decorations this morning, and what kind of Guardian Outfitter would I be if I didn't give Guardians some holiday decorations to wear?" I took the shader from her hands. Rush automatically made it disappear from my hands and applied it to my armor. In an instant, my armor went from its blue and gold coloration to shades of glowing white, some of which were tinged with pale shades of blue. I inspected my armor, looking down at my arms and the rest of me and thinking that I looked like freshly-fallen snow. "This is great, I love it," I told Eva. "I knew you would," she laughed in response, "Now go find some people to spend the day with." "Will you be spending the day with anyone?" I asked, immediately regretting it. Everyone knew that Eva didn't have anyone to be with anymore; it was quietly passed from Guardian to Guardian that she could be heard reminiscing about her husband and son at her desk. Her expression softened sadly, but the joy never left her eyes. "Sadly, my family and friends are all gone now, so I won't be spending the Dawning with anyone," Eva told me, "But I'll be seeing dozens of you Guardians everyday as they come for their gifts. I won't be alone." "I'm glad to hear that. Good bye Mrs. Levante, enjoy your Dawning," I waved as I began to walk away. "Farewell," Eva waved back, "And have a happy Dawning, Guardian." I went straight to the Hangar in search of Amanda Holiday. It was as busy as ever, jump ships flying in and out just as often as days when people weren't celebrating. Amanda could always be found here, making sure everything that came under her care was finely tuned and ready to go. She was sitting in her usual place on the crate in the Hangar catwalk's back corner, but today she held a touchpad that seemed to be displaying camera feed. "Go go GO Guardians!" Amanda shouted at the screen, I wide smile splitting her face. "Hi Amanda," I called as I approached. She started a bit at the sound of my voice and adjusted her red scarf as her cheeks reddened with embarrassment. "Happy Dawning Guardian," she replied, moving a lock of blonde hair out of her face, "What can I do for you?" "Well I was told about the Sparrow Raci-" I began. "Ah, say no more," Amanda interrupted, holding up a hand, "SRL is open to every Guardian, I can get you into a match right away. How does the Infinite Decent on Venus sound?" "Um, well I like Venus," I answered. "Great! Now you get flyin' and I'll make sure your Ghost can find you some rivals," she commanded. "Will do," I nodded, "Rush?" "On it," my Ghost responded, then transmatted me into my jump ship, the Aurora Lance. ____________________________________ Link to part two:https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/220044549/0/0 Link to ToC:https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/212710816/0/0