rekindledtitan | (Reply)

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“They’re long gone, yeah. Wei fell on the Moon, Saint disappeared- don’t know what happened to the Iron Lords over there. Saladin’s the last of them, and he doesn’t tell that story.”

Ghost takes a moment to drop behind his Guardian and bob encouragingly at Steve. He can sense his friend's nerves. “Don’t worry," he whispers. "You’ve got this.”

The terrace they head out to is much busier than inside. There are Titans gathered at (or sitting on) a couple of long tables, passing around big canteens of tea or coffee; holding up a fallen flagpole so a tech can bolt it back into place; playing Go against their Ghost. A couple of the newer recruits are tussling on the grass. On one of the other lawns stands a Titan bracing herself beneath a shield. Not a round shield like Steve’s: this looks like a short tower shield, slightly kite-shaped. Its wielder lifts it with ease that seems to belie its apparent weight, meeting the fists of her sparring partner and even turning it sideways to bat away a blow, step in and clock him on the helm… if he wasn’t bright enough to step back.

“Guessing that’s our woman, huh?” Blaze remarks, taking the lead as they head over. She and Steve – mostly Steve – draw a few curious looks as they pass through the others. But the sparring pair don’t leave off until she steps onto the grass and salutes. “Ma’am? Lord Shaxx sent us.”

The woman lowers her shield and leans on it, tapping her blue helm to turn the visor transparent. Dark eyes study the pair of them – cheerful Exo and determined young man. Mainly the latter. Her voice is light and calm, slightly altered from being relayed through her suit. “Blaze-37 and Steve Rogers, yes. You are here to present yourselves for training.”

“Uh, well, I’m not much of a Defender. Steve’s the one with a shield.” Blaze shifts back half a step, nudging Steve forward. The elder Titan looks amused behind her visor. Her Ghost has materialized to take a look at the arrivals, its shell patterned in stormy blue.

“Well met. I am Tarana Parvin, captain among the Stoneborn. Since you’re to be my student, you can call me Tarana.”

“And I’m Jie,” says her green-armored friend. He gives the newcomers a wave, his Ghost appearing beside him with a little spin. “Hi!”