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It was another visit to the Lighthouse for Mira and her new temporary fireteam. They worked exceptionally well together and could usually pick up the slack if any of them was having a rough match. She knew the matches had been streamed, because when she walked through the streets of the Last City that night, a few children raced over to her, joy and curiosity written on their little features as they asked her about the games. It didn’t help that Saint-14 loved to show the kids of the city the fiercest of Guardians, to help them know they’d be safe.
When their parents came to apologize and usher their children off, she returned to her path towards the marketplaces. The walk was a pleasant one for her, she enjoyed seeing what the city had to offer and was always happy to offer her glimmer in exchange for the craftsmanship of the Last City’s occupants.
Mira picked out a new blanket, it’s colorful patterns catching her eye. Her quarters in the Tower were decorated beautifully with the things she’d collected over the years. She transferred the glimmer to the kind merchant who folded the blanket neatly.
She bid farewell and headed off, roaming through the market.
A feeling crawled over her skin like she was being watched. It wasn’t the usual sensation of being recognized, no, it felt like she was being followed.
The warlock scanned the area, though nothing caught her eye. She continued.
She chose a winding path and the feeling clung to her. She feigned interest in a stall and used the moment to check around. There, a hood she had seen before.
Mira led this hooded figure away, feigning heading back towards the tower. She ducked into an alley and pressed herself against the wall. Hell, if it had been a Crucible match, she would have had her shotgun ready to aim and shoot as her pursuer slid around a corner, but this was no match in Shaxx’s Crucible.
Her trick still worked, however.
The hooded person turned the corner, intending to follow.
Mira slammed her body against the stranger, her forearm knocking against the pursuer’s throat and holding it there and she shoved them into the opposite alley wall. She had to use her momentum to pin them there. She was smaller than most other Guardians and certainly wasn’t as strong as a titan, but she made it work.
A cough, and then- “Whoa, whoa there, poster girl.”
Hands shot up, feigning innocence, but she recognized the voice well enough to let go.
She let out an angry huff, her shoulders drooping as the tension released. “Are you nuts?” She squinted at him.
The Drifter pulled back his hood, a toothy, mocking grin on his smug face. “Nah, not in the way most people think I am. All that time in those little play fights has made you so jumpy.” He said, leaning against the wall, casually now, as if he hadn’t just been pinned there. “Must say, I’m surprised you noticed me. Then again, can't be too surprised. You did kick that Nightstalker’s ass every time he tried to sneak up on your crew in Saint’s little Trials games.”
Mira’s brows furrowed together before she raised one. “Oh, that’s rich. You’ve been watching matches now?” She asked, brushing herself off and leaning against the opposite wall. She crossed her arms over her chest.
“ What? Can’t I be a little interested in what my Dredgen do in their free time? ‘Sides, better than hearing about those little high priority missions you’ve been taking on for Zavala. When did you become teacher’s pet?” His smugness just oozed into his expression. He was baiting a reaction.
“Oh come now, you act like I never even visit your Gambit anymore.” She tried to tease, but her arms were still crossed. The Drifter wasn’t stupid, he could read her body language. “Maybe they’ve been offering me more than you were paying me.” She challenged.
He looked her over, then took the four steps to cross the alley, stopping right before her. He leaned in and she could smell the oil and metal of whatever he had been working on before this little encounter. “We both know it was never about the money for you, poster girl.” His voice was low in her ear. “That feeling? The one you’d get after a successful Gambit, after you’d invade and kill your fellow Guardians in ways that Zavala and Shaxx would never let you do. That thrill that would start in your core and spread, have you leaving the arena wanting more of anything. ”
Mira’s lips parted, to reply, to say anything but the words were caught in her throat. She could feel the thrum at the thought of the thrill, the adrenaline that coursed through her after a Gambit match, and even the ways she’d expend all that pent up energy after the match.
She swallowed and shook her head. “Maybe I got bored of it.” She gave him a light push with her hand, channeling just enough of her Light to shove him a step away.
His eyes narrowed at her, as if he could see right through her. She turned away, truly heading for the Tower this time.
“Guess I gotta make things more interesting, huh? You should bring those new Lights you’ve been hanging with lately. I bet they’d love Gambit... You sure do love the new ones, don’t you?” There it was again, the taunting.
She grit her teeth and kept walking. “You’ll see me around. Try not to get bored watching all those Crucible matches.”
His laugh echoed behind her.