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vanguard has a few requirements to join their ranks.
firstly, they need to be good, strong, the best. the numbers pretty much dictate how many are above and below its bearer. no dead weight allowed.
secondly, they need to have a custom item. it comes with the fact their number one is seeking to collect them all, and if they all already have something in hands, it makes the task much easier.
third, and perhaps the most important of all, is that they know where they stand. no one has to like one another, but the numbers are there for a reason. yes, vanguard as a whole is the best, but not everyone is equal. until someone dethrones and replaces the ranks, they are to be respected. the person who carries it does not matter half as much, but as long as they have their shield, it is to be kneeled upon.
vanguard four meets all the requirements. the thing is, that they do it in such a peculiar way it almost feel like they're an exception instead. but no: vanguard makes no mistakes, there are no exceptions to be made. they are a perfect addition to the team. they just happen to come in a pair.
quakitus and pika had been connected for so long that they don't remember how it was when they weren't. was there ever a time before they shared everything, life to death? it was not relevant. not when it was their biggest advantage; no one expects a vanguard to be two, and once it's revealed, they can't predict what that entails. no one expects them to be practically immortal, the only known vanguard with all three hearts red on their nametag. not even top three in the ranks, yet untouchable.
they were far from combat masters, which was a huge reason behind their number being considered low. but the fact that they were a duo gave them an advantage no skill could compare. one could strike their weapon while the other heals at the same time; opposed to that, their opponent would always have to be considerate about when to attack and when to retreat. if one needed aid, the other would come to their rescue in a single tick, regardless of distance, with no need for items. yes, on their own, quakitus and pika were just another average player. but their presence mirrored their shared rank. they were never alone.
even if they had tasks away from one another, they were always together as one. metaphorically, with their shared health, life, statuses, but somewhat physically, with how they could move to one another, swap places, teleport to the other, as well as mentally too, with their shared goals, and the unspoken conversations they had by looking at one another. there was no quakitus without pika; two of the same, shattered yet shared.
soul and body, as the names of their items. except that they were equally both at all times.
it didn't matter that they were not so high on the ranks, it did not matter that three people were considered better than them. quakitus and pika were still pretty much gods, as close as one can be considering the circumstances. they could do whatever they wanted, had the luxury of losing a close bottle and still getting the upper hand. they were, in the end, a valuable and important part of vanguard. they were unstoppable.