Ace of Spades. Exotic-class hand cannon. Ten rounds per cylinder. Equipped with smart-weapon programs codenamed 'Firefly', causing rounds to detonate a target on a precision kill, and 'Maverick', transmatting spent shells out of the cylinder and fresh bullets in upon a precision kill. This weapon was a signature of the late Hunter Vanguard, Cayde-6. The Tower's master gunsmith, Banshee-44, had repaired the weapon, but Luna had to reprogram the smart-weapon core with 'Maverick' after the Scorn Crisis. The 'Maverick' program only worked for Hunters like Luna.

No Turning Back. Legendary-class combat bow. Equipped with explosive arrowheads. Her close ally and dare-she-say friend, Petra Venj, had given this bow to her when they began hunting Cayde's murderers together. With hindsight, the bow's name tasted of bitter irony on her tongue.

Loaded Question. Legendary-class fusion rifle. Deals Arc damage. Five rounds per battery. Equipped with smart-weapon program 'Reservoir Burst', overcharging the first shot of a fresh battery and causing an explosion on a kill with that shot. Luna had used code fragments from exotic-class auto rifle Zhalo Supercell to add a chain-lightning effect to the explosion.

Apollo XI. Exotic-class fusion rifle. Deals Void damage. Equipped with smart-weapon programs 'Small Step', greatly increasing stability, range, and handling speed while airborne; and 'Giant Leap', reducing the charge time of the weapon without sacrificing damage, based on how high off the ground the wielder was. Luna had forged this weapon herself with the help of her Titan teammate, Mae.

Abide the Return. Legendary-class sword. Deals Solar damage. A ceremonial blade, but still quite functional. Luna had been given this weapon for her efforts eliminating the Scorn and Taken from the Dreaming City. Petra Venj had given this blade to her, and Luna had treasured it ever since.

Cover of Thunder. Legendary-class linear fusion rifle. Deals Arc damage. Equipped with smart-weapon programs 'Box Breathing', increasing the damage after aiming for a few seconds, and 'Covered Thunder', causing the shot to deal Arc damage in a large area around a target on hit when 'Box Breathing' was active. Luna had made this weapon with Cayde himself a few years before Morgan Yu's2 successful attack on the Black Garden. It was as much a memento as the Ace of Spades.

Along with these weapons, Luna also had her hull-scrap bow, the broken Gjallarhorn rocket launcher, four ammunition synthesis packages for each ammunition type, and her personal belongings. Everything else had been lost. The manufacture plans for the ship were destroyed. The copy she'd set to be made when she returned from ~Canterlot~ was also destroyed. The transmat beacon and long-range scanner were destroyed. Her plans to leave were destroyed.

But in the week after her second stay at the hospital, Luna was starting to feel okay with this. Was she terrified of losing control again and killing her friends? Absolutely. Was there a possibility of this actually happening? Absolutely. Did she know what the hell to do about it? Fuck no. But when did she ever know what to do?

A hundred thirty-two years, and I finally get to stop fighting? Luna thought to herself as she began breaking down Loaded Question for maintenance. Mae and Rose are probably pissed that I got the lucky ticket to peace, rough as this transition is...

"~Violet?~" Twilight called down into the basement from the stairs. "~Princess Luna is here and wants to talk to you.~"

"~She is welcome down here,~" Luna called back, not looking up from her work. One habit that would likely be the last to break to peace was her obsession with weapon maintenance. Whenever she would hang out with Mae and Rose, she'd clean everyone's weapons, regardless if they'd been used since the last time she'd cleaned them. Memories of her friends welled up from there as her eyes glossed over and her hands began to move on autopilot, applying her cleaning rag to the internal components of the fusion rifle Cayde had given her.

She'd met them upon arriving at the Tower for the first time, one-hundred twenty-seven years ago. The moment she made eye contact with them, all three of them had flashbacks from Before. Ever since then, they'd been inseparable. They'd performed in thousands of strike operations for the Vanguard, taking out high-value targets across the inner Sol System. They'd honed each other's skills in Lord Shaxx's Crucible. They all had matching tattoos of their fireteam's emblem, her own underneath her left arm. They were closer than Cayde was with his team.

But more than just being teammates, they were friends. Her best friends. Luna soon discovered that her friends were like her. All three of them had one elemental affinity, and one element they couldn't use at all. Luna was attuned to Void Light, and could wield every Void ability there was, including those that Hunters like her couldn't normally use. That was why she was able to use the Ward of Dawn and Sentinel Shield, both Titan Super abilities, back when she first arrived on this planet. As a trade-off for this affinity, Luna had less than a spark of Arc Light, and was unable to use any Arc abilities. She retained a small amount of Solar Light, but was much less proficient than average with it.

Mae, the Titan of their team, was a fellow Awoken, and was the oldest of the party at nearly seven-hundred years. The best and worst part about her being the oldest was that she acted like an older sister to both Luna and Rose. She was often restless, unable to sit still for long periods without something to do, and had a hobby of forging her own armor. Mae was attuned to Arc Light, with no Solar Light whatsoever. As a result, she was capable of wielding the Arc Super abilities that Luna could never use, but taught her what she could anyway. Mae used Arc Blade, a Hunter Super ability, almost as often as the Titan Super, Fist of Havoc. It was actually with Arc Blade that Mae set the Vanguard record for 'most kills in a single Super activation' at fouteen-hundred and nine. With Mae's teaching, Luna was able to discover a Void equivalent to Arc Blade: Spectral Blades.

Rose was the Warlock on their team, the 'middle-child' at five centuries old, and the only human among them. She was aggressive in every aspect of her personality. She was quick-tempered, often shooting Mae dead for her puns and throwing hot-coffee on Luna on more than one occasion. Her fighting style reminded her of the way flames danced, and Luna was never able to figure out its rhythm. And of course, Rose was a flaming lesbian and was absolutely what kids in the City would call horny on main, flirting at almost every woman who caught her eye. She was attuned to Solar Light, with no capacity for Void abilities. In terms of raw skill, Rose had everyone out-classed. She'd managed to not only use Super abilities from other classes, provided they were Solar, but had managed to fuse those abilities together to strengthen them.

Those affinities were also reflected in their own personalities and behavior patterns. For instance, Rose's attunement to Solar Light meant that her resting body temperature was a normally dangerous one-hundred and four degrees Fahrenheit. But after being examined by Tower infirmary staff, it was determined that she had no negative physical or mental effects stemming from her elevated temperature. However, wearing armor often led to her overheating due to the materials not being able to wick away excess body heat fast enough, so she just didn't bother wearing armor.

Mae, having no Solar Light, was often quite cold, and would frequently cuddle up with Rose for warmth like a lizard. Such cuddle sessions were the only times that the Titan could sit still for any appreciable length of time. Her affinity to Arc Light made her somewhat more hyperactive than anyone else Luna knew. After all, lightning was never calm, according to those who could wield it. Luna was only ever able to shrug at that.

Luna was pulled away from her thoughts by a particular pony princess plopping herself onto her lap. The Hunter looked down to see the flowing astral mane of ~Luna~, who had decided that her body was prime real estate for lying on. She sighed and shook her head, setting down her reassembled weapon on the table.

"~Hello,~" Luna said.

~Luna~ looked up at her with a soft smile. "~Hello.~"

"~You wanted to talk to me?~" Luna asked, plucking the pony from her lap and moving her so she could get back to cleaning her weapons.

"~Yes. We need you to come to Canterlot tomorrow,~" ~Luna said.

Luna picked up Apollo XI, starting the process of field-stripping the weapon for maintenance. Her tone became cold. "~Why?~"

"~The leaders of the world want to meet you,~" Luna said, frowning slightly. "~Word has traveled of you and your strength in battle, and your technology. They are likely afraid of you becoming a weapon for Equestria.~"

Luna set down the last piece of her fusion rifle. She turned to ~Luna~ with a grave expression. "~I am a weapon, but I belong to no one.~"

"~You are no weapon,~" the alicorn objected softly. "~You are Violet.~"

Luna sighed. "~I do not want to go, but I will. I understand my position and the power I have.~"

The princess wrapped her wing around Luna and offered a reassuring smile. "~Thank you.~"

Luna shrugged off the wing and gave the princess a hard glare. "~No making wishes.~"

——————————

All was quiet in the board room. A massive horseshoe-shaped table made of a dark hardwood took up half the room, with the leader of every nation in the world seated on the outside edge. Against the front wall was a massive whiteboard that looked brand new. Never before had a summit of this caliber been held, where all nations had managed to put aside any strained relationships with others they had and met anyway. Even King Leo of Aquastria had come, having arranged transport that would allow him the water he needed to attend.

Celestia gathered everyone's attention and waited for the dull roar of their voices to die down. Only when she had the full, undivided attention of everyone present did she speak. "Welcome, everyone. Today is quite a day, isn't it?"

"Indeed it is, Princess," Prince Rutherford of Yakyakistan replied. "Although I must ask why you've kept this from us for so long."

"I second that question," King Roc of Griffonstone added. "You must have a reason for a three week delay between first-contact and the announcement to the public."

Grand Chief Yule of the Deer spoke next, "Fellow leaders, I do hope you will give the Princess the opportunity to explain."

Celestia merely chuckled softly, raising a hoof and waving away the the mildly aggressive posturing of the other leaders. "I am not the one to ask. The discovery of our visitor belongs to my sister."

The room fell silent as they looked to seat of Princess Luna in shock, and Celestia's smile only grew as she watched their expressions intensify when they saw her seat empty. Celestia knocked her hoof on the table, the sound reverberating in the room. She called out, "Luna? Will you bring in Violet?"

The door opened, and in stepped Violet and Luna, side by side. Violet had chosen to wear her ceremonial armor, its purple sheen much brighter than the last time she'd seen it. The sticks of violet light sticking out of the quiver on her leg immediately drew the attention of everyone in the room. On her hip was the very same Ace of Spades as she always had, but this time she had another weapon slung across the small of her back. Celestia could only wonder why Violet felt the need for two weapons when the Ace of Spades and her magic were enough to take out more than three-hundred timberwolves in less than a minute.

"Hello. My name is {Luna}, but you may call me Violet. It is nice to meet you," Violet said, nodding her head towards the leaders around her as Luna took her place at the table.

To say that the room was dead silent would be an understatement. Everyone, save for Celestia and Luna, was floored by the simple greeting, their jaws hitting the table (except King Leo's, which hit the floor of his tank instead) simultaneously.

"I am not here because I want to. I am here because I was told to answer questions you may have," Violet said, yawning and rubbing her eyes. "Please ask your questions so I can go back to sleep."

"How did you arrive here?" King Roc asked quickly, taking the lead with a swift talon.

"I came through a gate," Violet replied. "Before you ask, going back is impossible."

"Are you a warrior of your kind?" Prince Dûne of Saddle Arabia asked.

"A better word would be 'Guardian'," Violet replied. "I do fight and kill, but in defense of my kind."

"Are you armed?" King Leo inquired.

Violet patted the Ace of Spades. "Always."

The chamber grew quiet as the leaders of the world turned to Luna and Celestia with shock and fear in their eyes.

"You have nothing to fear from them," Violet called, dragging their attention back to her. "I am not their weapon."

Grand Chief Yule calmly spoke up, "What were your first days on our world like?"

"Harsh. I crashed in a forest filled with hostile wildlife, and was attacked by what you call timberwolves and a hydra," Violet said, sitting down on the floor. "The hydra was tasty." The world leaders fell into a clamor, Celestia chuckling softly to herself. The princess knocked on the table, bringing everyone back to the present. "I am a Guardian. I am a weapon unlike any other."

"Celestia! What is the meaning of this‽ You allow such a dangerous monster in here?" King Roc squawked in terror. "If this thing tells the truth, then it's a monster among monsters!"

Luna stood from her seat to protest, but Violet spoke first, "You are correct. I am a monster, made to hunt and kill monsters. Please calm yourself."

"What was your first meeting with the Princesses like?" King Hulk of the Minotaurs asked, trying to defuse the tension.

"I first met Princess Luna on my second night," Luna recounted. "She found me faster than I wanted, and I was scared of her. We did not speak the same language. I had not seen magic before. But she offered me an apple, and asked me to come here to Canterlot by drawing."

Violet continued, "The next night, she brought Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle, and we were attacked by timberwolves. I did my best to defend them, but was gravely injured in the process. I spent fourteen days unconscious from my injuries. I am thankful I was able to save them."

"Surely you jest?" King Hulk asked incredulously. "The Princesses have incredible power at their disposal! A few timberwolves can't possibly be a threat to them!"

"There were more than three-hundred," Violet clarified, silencing King Hulk and the other leaders. Luna nodded to confirm the story. "I used my weapons until I couldn't anymore, and that alone was not enough."

"You say you were unable to take down this supposed horde of timberwolves with only your weapons, and yet you claim to have saved the Princesses!" King Hulk declared in frustration. "And before that you claim you'd never seen magic before! How could you repel such a large number of timberwolves, then?"

"My kind knows it as 'Light' in this tongue," Violet said. "Allow me to demonstrate."

Violet's magic flared as she brought herself to her feet. With a sharp breath, she stomped the ground, thrusting her hands out on either side of her body. The purple bubble of her Light formed around her in an instant, and a bright layer of blue light coated her form just over the surface of her skin and armor. The leaders gasped at what they were seeing.

Violet stepped out of the bubble, and the layer of blue light stuck to her. "My kind call this {Ward of Dawn}. It is a shield made of Light. Anything I consider an enemy will become blinded upon stepping inside it. Those I consider friend will be protected." Violet stepped back inside the bubble. "I used my Light to make this on that night, centered around the Princesses. Only when they were safe in this did I use any Light to attack."

"What is this 'Light?' How can you use it to attack?" Prince Rutherford asked.

"I do not have the words to answer that completely. My kind had a saying: The Light lives in all places; in all things. Guardians are just those who can use Light as a weapon." Violet stepped out of the bubble again, turning to the whiteboard, picking up a marker and beginning to draw what her words couldn't answer. The first drawings depicted Violet above the ground holding a small ball in the palm of her hand, with a few timberwolves on the ground, and an arrow arcing to a point in the middle of the timberwolves. The next panel showed a massive explosion centered on the previous point marked by the arrow, the timberwolves all caught in it. "We call this {Nova Bomb}."

Next she drew herself with the circular shield she'd wielded that night bashing a timberwolf, then throwing the shield and depicting it bouncing from enemy to enemy. "{Sentinel Shield}."

Next was the bow she'd used the very first night, when she'd met Violet alone. "{Shadowshot}."

Next was herself with two blades in hand, shown in ultra-thin lines. "{Spectral Blades}."

She stopped drawing and turned back to the world leaders, staring all of them down.

"How does one acquire—" King Roc started.

"You don't," Violet interrupted sharply, with a grave expression in her eyes. "It is impossible. You will die if you try."

The room fell silent.

"Next question," Violet said, her voice betraying her irritation.

Nervously, Queen Orinoco of Zebrica spoke, "I think I speak for all of us when I ask you not to make fuss. All of this is just as new to all of us as it is to you. If I may, I ask of thee, how did you come about your injuries? Were they given in your fight, or could it be a cost of Light?"

Violet froze at the question, and Luna could feel the tension that suddenly plagued her. Subtly, Violet clenched her fist for a brief moment. "There are some techniques of Light that can harm the user. I will not answer further than that."

"Can all of your kind use this Light?" King Leo asked.

"No. No living of my kind can use Light," Violet answered.

"You said going back to your world was impossible," Grand Chief Yule said. "Are you certain?"

"I destroyed my only means off this planet in an accident a few days ago. Even if I wanted to go home, I cannot," Violet sighed, sitting back down on the floor. "You want to know what my plan is for the future?"

The world leaders nodded.

"I do not have a plan," Violet stated flatly. "My only plan was to get off this planet and leave for the stars. I have no backup plan."

Violet stared up at the ceiling of the room. "I have not known peace in my entire life. I am a dangerous weapon, and I am fragile. I may explode at any moment. I left my home because I hurt those close to me. But if I can, I would like to learn to live in peace."

Author's Note

2: Morgan Yu is the name of the Player's character in the Destiny games in this story. Yu is the one who has done all of the games' main story missions with the exceptions of Destiny 1's Rise of Iron expansion, and Destiny 2's base campaign and Forsaken expansion.