Chapter 1) Unforgiving Dreams and Consequences
A Threshers' cry, a burning house, a faded pink revolver, a women crying alone in the rain. They are gone because of you Axton, because you were not strong enough to protect them. You were a coward, you hear me Axton?... Axton... Axton.
"Axton!" The young commando's head shot up from the table as he was awakened from his slumber. Axton regains consciousness, examining the women who woke him.
"Oh, so-sorry Moxxi." He manages to spit out still buzzed from the dream he just had.
"Oh its ok sugar" Replies the sexy bartender in a cheerful tone. "You're the last one here, even your friend Mordecai got his drunk ass up a couple hours ago." She stretches her arms and let off a yawn. "Sorry I had to wake you, but a gal like me has to sleep some time, you know?"
"Uh.. ya..." Mumbled Axton not sure how to respond to that "Hey what time is it anyway?" He eagerly asks.
"Erm, about 5:30 AM" Moxxi replies peering at the wall clock. "You know, you look quite down honey, there's an empty room out back, perhaps I can cheer you up a bit." She suggests raising her eyebrow seductively.
Axton hesitates at first but finally mumbles, "Um... No thanks, I really need to head back to HQ." While rubbing the back of his neck and thinking of all the possible things he could possibly catch from Moxxi.
...
The soldier leaves the bar noticing that it was still dark outside. He passes Earl's black market and continues to the Crimson Raider Command Center, where he finds a lone Crimson Raider standing guard outside.
"Jessup? Why the hell are you still standing there?" He calls to the Private.
This made Private Jessup jump a bit, but he got a grip and answers, "Oh evening sir, I was just ensuring the safety of our general."
Axton cracks a smile, "Jessup, cut the bullshit, you just want to kiss up to Roland for a promotion huh?"
"No, I just um... Yeah.." Mumbles Private Jessup in confession.
This caused Axton to chuckle a bit, "Dude, you don't have to suck Roland's dick for that promotion. Tell ya what, you're a good soldier, I'll talk to him for ya." Axton assures the private while walking over and patting his shoulder, "Now go home you son of a bitch" he adds with a smile.
...
Axton opens the door of the command center and gazes inside. It was dark, but he noticed that Tannis was the only one downstairs, sleeping soundly on her desk. Axton studies the darkness. Then he maneuvers his way upstairs and walks past the vault room, (Which contained a very drunk marksman snoring rather loudly on the couch.) and continues though the command center. He stops at the balcony and peers downward. He notices that Jessup took his advice and went home. Smiling, he jumps to the rooftop to his right where he climbs until he was fairly high off the ground and could see the dark sky clearly.
Axton sits down and pulls out the dog tags he wore around his neck. Bad memories of his past flow through his mind like a swarm of bees while he blankly stares at the two pieces of aluminum attached to the wedding ring that once belonged to his wife.
"Sarah... I'm sorry." He solemnly murmurs to himself, grasping the dog tags in his hand while looking up to see a beautiful sunrise over the horizon. "That motherfucker will pay for this, I promise." He adds in a harsh, unforgiving tone.
"For a shit hole of a planet, Pandora does have a magnificent sunrise." Says a soothing voice behind him.
Axton turns around, he lays his eyes upon his fellow siren vault hunter, who grins at him with her hands on her hips. "Mornin' Maya." He answers coolly "You're up early." He adds casually leaning back.
"Yeah, well I thought I'd wake up early to get some fresh air before today's mission, figured you be lying around here on the rooftops like a loner." She says with a chuckle while taking a seat next to Axton. Her attention drifted toward the chain in his hand. "Hey, what's that?" She eagerly asks, pointing at Sarah's dog tags.
"Oh this? It's nothing, just some old dog tags from when I was serving in Dahl." Axton lies while quickly tucking the tags back into his shirt. "I was going to go take a walk around Sanctuary, care to come?" He offers in a flirtatious tone.
"Sure, why not?" She answers, holding up her hand.
Axton pulls Maya to her feet, and the two vault hunters navigate their way down the rooftops of the floating city.
...
As they were walking towards Scooter's garage, Maya notices the empty, solemn expression in Axton's face. Almost as if he was crying, but a man like him would never show tears. "Hey, you alright Axton?" Maya asks, giving off a worried look at the Commando.
Almost as if her words conducted a bolt of electricity, Axton snaps out of his trance almost immediately.
"What?! Oh, no I… I'm fine. Just spacing out is all." He reassures, forcing a grin at his Siren teammate. "Anyway, do you know what todays mission is going to be?" Axton quickly asks wishing to change the topic.
"Not sure exactly." Answers Maya "Roland said something about helping Tina out at Tundra Express." she continues while rolling her eyes. Maya didn't really enjoy helping Tina because she was always stuck with having a tea party or doing some other girly shit with her while the guys were off killing things.
Axton grins, unlike Maya, he really didn't mind Tina. The girl had demolition skills that could put Mr. Torgue out of business and Axton respected that.
"HEY SLAB!" cries a deep voice behind them.
Maya and Axton turn around to see a muscular monstrosity of a man towering above them. "Hey Brick!" Axton greeted back while flashing his unique grin to the bandit king.
"Hey, I didn't know you two were together!" Brick exclaims in a deep tone while giving off a crooked smile.
The vault hunters fell silent for a second.
"I um, we're not..." Maya stuttered
Axton chuckles while looking over at his flustered and now very red friend. "We're not dating Brick, just taking a walk that's all." He replies in a relaxed tone.
"Oh I see... My bad." Brick says, letting out a hearty laugh. "Well, whenever you guys are done, Roland has a mission for you back at HQ."
"Yeah we know, thanks." Chimes Maya
"Later Slabs!" Brick yells before finally leaving the two at peace.
"Asshole" Growls Maya angrily, causing Axton to chuckle a bit.
...
By the time the two finished their walk, everyone at HQ was up and about. Roland briefs the group on the mission of the day which had to do something with an invitation for a tea party at Tina's. Maya groans after hearing this but Roland reminded her that they did still owe Tina for helping highjack that Hyperion train.
After the meeting everyone except Lilith and Maya left the room to get ready.
Maya leans back against the wall with an unamused look on her face. "Man this job still blows, knowing my luck I'll be the one babysitting and drinking expired tea while the others are out lighting up bandits." She complains.
"Yeah, but at least you had a pleasant morning" Laughs Lilith raising her eyebrows.
"What?! How the hell did you..?" Maya stutters
"Brick told me"
"Goddammit Lil it's not like that.. I just.. He looked so sad this morning so I wanted to cheer him up." Maya says now slightly embarrassed.
"Hehe whatever you say Maya" Lilith chuckles "All I'm saying is that you guys would look cute together."
Before Maya could retort, Axton echoes her from outside. "Hey Princess! Zero, Sal, and I are already geared up outside, ya comin or what?"
Maya echoes back. "Goddamit Axton, never to call me Princess." she growls through the echo recorder.
Lilith giggles girlishly. "Look at him, already coming up with cutesy nicknames for ya."
"Ah shut up Lil." Maya shoots back punching her playfully in the arm.
However as she was packing her gear, she thinks to herself. "Well he is kinda cute..."
Author's Notes
And thats the first chapter guys! I promise it will get more violent later, this is just setting the stage a bit. This is my first go at a Fanfiction so if you find any problems be sure to point them out. Reviews are free, so make sure to do so if you enjoyed the story! Chapter 2 will be up whenever I decide to stop being lazy :).
-PlatinumShark