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I’m in the Last City. It’s… thriving. Bustling with life. Children laughing.
There’s a small parade. There’s always a small parade when I come back here, and by god am I sick of this scene.
For a brief moment, I contemplate making another record of that last loop. It wouldn’t be much help - the last few loops have all ended exactly the same way. I grimace as I trace the memory of a blade slipped between my plating. I shiver at the cold, patronising flicker of a smile Mara Sov shows me and me alone.
I flinch at the image of the Traveller swollen with light burned into my mechanical retina. Even now - even years before the Traveller’s last stand - the blinding light has burned its way into my mind. Again.
I collapse into a doorway and watch and listen to Cayde’s little celebration for the… something in the twenty thousands-th time. As Ikora steps forward into the gathering, I mouth her line as she says it - “Let the new Hunter Vanguard bask. He’s earned it.” People move forward to join the crowd. Someone fumbles with their keys to my left as they step through a doorway. Another figure sits down on the pavement to my right, back against the wall. All right on cue.
“Elisabeth.”
...okay, that’s a new one.
I glance towards the source: the figure that just sat down a few feet from me. They’re watching the parade with disinterest, and they’re wearing a tattered navy leather cloak that’s tugged over their head.
She’s wearing my cloak.
I acknowledge her with a nod - “Elisabeth.” She still hasn’t looked at me and I don’t expect her to. “You’re from my future,” I posit.
There’s a pause as we both watch the crowd.
“How many loops?”
She shifts in place, and puts more of her weight against the wall.
“Doesn’t matter, Elisabeth. You know it doesn’t matter,” she says, and it’s weird to hear my own voice from someone else’s mouth. It’s very matter-of-fact, and nowhere near as exhausted-sounding as I expect (or feel).
I hesitate. “Have you given up?” I’m almost afraid of an answer.
“Elisabeth, you won’t ever give up. Neither will I.” She finally turns to face me. “I’m not here because I want to be or because I have a choice, I’m just here because I am. You know how this works.”
I nod. “Law of truly large numbers. And the fact that you’re here means this loop is doomed to fail.”
She turns back to watch the crowd before continuing. “Take this opportunity to rest, Elsie. You’ll do important work in your future; my past. Right now is a moment on your own terms and” - she turns to me again, this time with a grin - “think of it as sticking it to our bastard father. I’ll keep watch this time around.”
Elisabeth stands up to face me and offers me a hand up.
I take it.