#drifter artemis

As soon as she arrives at Pontis Tower, she is stunned by the serenity of the old Orokin research facility and seeing Stalker with his two? Four children. Two adult Warframes very interested in interacting with her and of course Stalker being his curt, grouchy self pointing to the back where Hunhow now resides.

Artemis visits him - he barely remembers anything now. Just fragments of memories and things he used to say and felt. The Old One barely able to hold on like someone poured oil on his mind. She talks to him, inquiring if he was comfortable and if he knew who she was. There's a moment of recognition but like a flash it's gone. He talks of Natah and Erra, his wayward children. The Old War. Whatever the Man in the Wall took? It took more than just the knowledge of Tau. The end of an old foe turned reluctant ally by removing their long memory was a quiet tragedy.

She spends time with the Old Sentient. He talks, she listens. The old man asks about her. She tells him things. Simple, not overwhelming. Stuff about the Hex, and of Eleanor of course. And when he grows weary, she bids him goodbye and Hunhow asks if she would visit again. Artemis promises to visit whenever she gets the chance, and says that she'll bring her girlfriend along the next time. It makes the Old Sentient happy.

The red and green Warframes asks her to stay for dinner, she sees Stalker in the kitchen eying her with knife in hand almost daring her to say no. She eats dinner with them, learns their names, it's awkward at first but the twins (Orion and Sirius) want to get to know her (she's probably the first person who is close to their age - she's thousands of years old but she doesn't have the heart to spoil their mood).

The two bicker and argue as siblings do - like Arthur and Eleanor. Artemis enjoys their company, they ask a million questions and it feels surprisingly normal - like she is a teenager again hanging out at a friend's dormizone. It's like something from a lifetime or more ago. Their mentors do not join them, they cannot sit at the table without throwing dining utensils at each other - apparently they have tried but it didnt take long for one to needle the other or the death threats from another. Needless to say, both are banned from communal dining.

Stalker doesn't say much, doesn't need to, Pontis Tower is a ceasefire - as long as no one starts throwing hands, everything is peaceful. Surprisingly he is a good cook and whilst the spices make her eyes water, it's probably one of the nicest meals she has had in the Origin system.

Stalker packs her the leftovers, they have an understanding that Pontis is Peace but outside is just business. Artemis takes it, thanks him and the boys. Orion asks if she could visit again and bring the small angry one too - she'd be fun to have skirmishes with whilst Sirius expressed interest in visiting Hollvania too - he could hear On-lyne's music from time to time. She can't make promises but she'll keep both in mind.

Lettie's favourite thing is that she liked to go up on the roof early in the morning, blanket over shoulders, and a full steaming mug of coffee in hand. The silence before the chaos of the day. The dark sky turning lighter shades of blues as the sun peeked out from the clouds. Once Lettie dragged her out of a dead sleep, answered none of her sleepy questions and bid her follow to the roof. Two mugs of steaming hot coffee and a blanket, watching Sol wake the world that they reside in.

Arthur? His secret whiskey stash. He once found some in a wrecked shop - leaving Hollvanian dollars for the owner (mostly to alleviate the guilt of taking something valuable). Arthur wasn't a hard drinker, he simply enjoyed the end of the day reward. The whiskey was saved for more success days. He shared one small glass of it with her after their very first pizza party. It was warm, tasted like the fiery breath of a dragon in liquid form - she had coughed, Arthur laughed. The first time she had ever seen the leader of the Hex laugh so much.

Aoi loves her On-Lyne tracks that much is true, but not as much as she loves riding motorbikes. She'd tear up the emptied streets whenever she had the chance or on her off day spend it fixing and tuning almost everyone's bikes. Artemis remembered Aoi's wild laughter as she clung on for dear life on the back of her bike. The first time she wanted to show Artemis what a real mastery of the fastest thing on two wheels looked like.

Quincy - the sharpshooter was sly but even he couldn't hide the delight in his eyes whenever he would receive brand new rolls of film. Artemis knew he was more than the standoffish sniper who pretended to be the bad boy of the group. She had somehow worn him down, taken off the rough edges, and became his friend. They would spend time together where Quincy would show her how to remain quiet for hours, just waiting for the perfect shot. Not to kill, but to capture the essence of a moment in those rolls of film. Moments of capturing scenes like civilians playing a ball game, or even some of the Hex enjoying a bit of levity. Artemis even once found herself captured in a moment, Quincy took one where she held Eleanor and danced to some slow song on the radio when they thought they had been alone - he gave it to her as a present. They had it framed in her loft.

And her beloved Eleanor? Artemis once found some paints, sketchbooks and pencils, stored them away and surprised the telepath with the art supplies on a random day. She had never seen her so excited and happy at being able to draw and paint again. Eleanor had pages and pages of sketches - some of which Artemis was the main subject. Artemis had known she was creative and brilliant - and watching Eleanor creating something was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. If she could freeze time, she would spend it watching her lover create to her heart's content.

Artemis knew all their favourites. All of their coffee preferences, their favourite things, how they enjoyed the seasons that passed by them like a blink of an eye - everything.

They started off rough, clashing swords and him stabbing her hand. Not that that stopped her, the Drifter was terrifyingly strong, scaring the shit out of him by grabbing the blade with her other hand and almost successfully grappled it out of his hands. It was about to go tits-up if Quincy didn't bear hug her giving him a chance to knock her out with the butt of his rifle.

In retrospect, they should have been enemies with how he had Eleanor invaded her mind to check for lies. He got his answers, but admitted was invasive and cruel - and later on when Eleanor spoke to him she very angrily informed him that she refused to do such an invasive interrogation that bordered on an absolute human rights abuse ever again.

The Drifter had taken it all in stride, which was odd and frankly unnerving how casual she was to interrogation. It was like she expected as much, even indifferent about his threats like it had been nothing more than a Tuesday for her. Instead, she introduced herself properly as Artemis, assisted them, fought and died with all of the Hex in the Nuclear plant. Then brought them all back to the start of 1999 to have a chance to redo all their mistakes.

Over the months, Artemis had very patiently became the most trusted member of the Hex despite how coldly they initially treated her. Artemis was a breath of fresh air, she was friendly and charming, a listening ear, a comrade that fought alongside them, and most importantly she was so willing to connect with them when they were so torn apart by their change into protoframes.

Within half a year, she's repaired relationships and even helped forged new ones not even swordsteel could break. Admittedly, he too became close with her, seeing her somewhat like a sister figure - she joked and teased him, and they spent a lot of time talking - trading stories of her life on the Zariman and parts of Duviri with his childhood growing up with Eleanor.

She listened, didn't judge and even though she was reluctant to talk about Duviri, she answered his questions. Arthur hadn't realised how much patience she had for the Duviri questions, he asked her once during a mission together and he saw firsthand how her smile tore when she answered. Arthur apologized, but Artemis forgave easily, waved it off - always with that same easy smile and playful nature; the same one that won his sister's heart.

Arthur was proud to see Eleanor happier than she had been in a long time with a person the entire Hex had come to trust and love. Despite being what the others called "broody", he wasn't blind.

He watched as his sister slowly fell in love with the time travelling adventurer - the two would have long intimate conversations in the furniture store hiding behind the couch like two teenagers or Artemis would teach Eleanor how to harness and control her abilities better whenever they had time, always eating and working together to find a way to restore time moving correctly. Arthur Nightingale did not have to be a telepath to see how their relationship blossomed and sure enough Eleanor moved into the Loft.

Just a week before Eleanor dragged Artemis outside during a rainstorm to dance. Their joy was infectious, even he couldn't help but chuckle hearing how they enjoyed themselves. Happiness was rare for all of them and honestly, he enjoyed seeing them happy and if there was someone who deserved that happiness, it was Eleanor.

Life had been changed for all of them, but they had been given a chance to redo all of their mistakes and thrive by their newest member of their little family. He wasn't going to waste it, not whilst he still breathes.

"Yooo, Arthur!" He looked up at the familiar voice, cut off from his musing at the security room and there was their Drifter, Artemis who grinned and gave him a little wave. Beside Artemis was Amir who was zipping left and right of her, basically bouncing with excitement. Artemis was dressed in her mission gear, looking tall and proud, with that her easy smile.

"Amir got a nice lead on some parts and we're gonna bust up some Scaldra, wanna come?"

"Yeah! You should do that cool sword thing you always do Arthur! We could always use the backup!"