This story will be a Borderlands/Menma crossover, with Warframe elements. Hope you enjoy it, tell me what you think in a review and/or if you have any ideas feel free to sound off as well.
Start.
I was once the potential king of the castle, I had pedigree, I had training, I had the right genetics and habits to grow my body into a weapon of absolute destruction, the elements bent to my will, Fire, Lightning, Wind, Water, Earth. The eyes of a deity were fixed firmly into my skull, gifted from a relative as a dying wish.
How did it end up like this?
Pain.
Every part of him screamed in agony at the lack of energy within this space, the lack of life, his eyes burnt every second in the void into his mind, his body began to stretch and warp as space folded and collapsed on him, he felt the very marrow in his bones turn to mush before forming back together.
Suddenly all that pain became too much and his mind shut down to save itself from the pain, his eyes shut and he let himself go.
The feedback loop of space and time he was caught in spat him out, bleeding with large sections of flesh either missing or in the wrong place, he went from one void to another, though this one was no spatial anomaly, this was a place completely absent of light.
Darkness gave way to flickers of light though, in the form of several miniscule insectoids crowding around the bloodied corpse, the tasted of his flesh, of his blood and came to a silent, unified decision.
The insectoids lifted the corpse up and quickly ran deeper into the blackness of their home, a path of crystalline radiance shining up beneath them as the jogged, revealing long bodies with thin limbs, like twigs.
Long necks and heads, where a human face would be were strange mask-like plates of what could be chitin, each split in a cross formation, with two slits two appear as eyes, each of the creatures bore iridescent wings like dragonflies.
"What creature do you bring before this one?" Questioned the Exalted One, the leader of the Vault. A much taller insectoid with more flesh than carapace, the Exalted One had long strands of cloth draped around its body to give it a more pronounced presence.
It's long neck arched to see the creature up close, a pink fleshed biped with odd black hair follicles atop its skull, ah.
"How quaint, one of the humans found their way into the Vault." The Exalted One tittered one of its lanky arms reach out and plucked the human from its minions, "As you were." They scuttled off whilst TEO thought on what to do with the creature.
It was clearly drenched in the dark space essence, the void was teeming within this creature's flesh, that spoke volumes of its durability that it was even still alive.
There had been some humans capable of wielding the void but most had been destroyed by it, though they generally were quite entertaining to see, so TEO came to a decision.
The creature was missing both legs from the knees down, and the arm from the right elbow down, this would require quite a bit of work.
TEO floated from its throne-like chair and towards one of the many stasis pods located within the vault, it pulled whatever sat within a pod out and tossed it aside, it was just a simple minion after all TEO had plenty of those already.
Inserting the human into the pod and fastening a breathing mask to its face TEO programmed the required chemicals into the pod control so that the creature could breathe, a film of liquid metal slid over the creatures ears and eyes before the pod filled with a bright pink liquid.
TEO scanned the human with the pod, using the data from the full body scale to start drawing up schematics for the required to forge the replacement limbs so that the creature could operate at optimal functionality.
TEO would have 'grinned' if capable at the idea of this new entertainment form, it had been so long since something of note had occurred, ever since TEO and its fellow Eridians had sequestered from the Orokin Empire and hid themselves away in their Vaults the world had been terribly dull.
Even the planet TEO currently inhabited was merely filled with dregs that killed each other at nauseum, truly it was… less than stellar.
As long fingers puppeteered the molecule manipulator to fit the projected body a new alert came up, the pod was being infested with void energy, TEO looked down to see the pink water slowly being stained a rich purple, obscuring the inhabitant.
TEO awaited with baited breath for a few moments as the void soaked liquid begun to become some kind of technicolour hellscape within the pod, slowly but surely several patterns begun to emerge behind the haze, a radiant glow begun to emit from the human's flesh.
It appeared that someone had taken a glowing brush to the skin of the human male and made several long, wild strokes.
TEO nodded to itself before continuing on its work, this would be its best and brightest creation yet, how fun!
Two Pandoran Weeks Later
Quite a lot had happened, TEO noted. The humans hair had lengthened considerably during its time within the pod, as did the nails on its one remaining limb, its teeth did not seem to exhibit the same change, if anything it's muscle mass confused TEO the most.
Most creatures would atrophy after two weeks of inactivity, this creature seemed fine all things considered, the markings of those touched by the void were vibrantly displayed on its flesh still, they showed no signs of dimming, if TEO observed closely it could see the energy coursing through the markings and strangle enough inside the creatures veins.
How truly odd.
Regardless it was time to apply the new mechanical limbs to the flesh, the metal was created in such a way that it would act and behave like flesh, TEO considered putting touch sensors into the metal to work with the brain activity of the human but it really didn't want to bother with another brain scan.
Pulling the human out of the pod for a few moments to have its minions attach the limbs TEO was able to note the bounty of its work, the limbs were all almost identical in projection to the actual muscle mass and flesh that was there previously, the gold really did work well with the hue of the human's skin, perhaps the Orokin were onto something with all their gold palaces and cities.
The legs both had claws toes, because reasons, the 'calf muscles' were able to deploy small gravity repulsors to allow the human a more grandiose jump height, in TEO's observations humans enjoyed leaping, almost as much as their 'drinking' and sexual intercourse.
TEO had never seen a species more obsessed with reproduction, and most of the time it wasn't even for reproduction! They just… did it!
Barbarians.
The arm was fitted with a projectable blade of plasma that would hew through its fellow humans like a laser through a small rodents' cranium, along with a similar gravity repulsion system to the legs though this one acted as a kind of grappling hook, the hand could detach and fire off towards a target, once it hooks in the arm would emit a powerful magnetic pulse keyed to the specific metal of the other limbs and pull the human towards it.
Another fun little thing TEO had installed was matter manipulation into the arm, making it able to convert nearby matter into mass transforming the arm from a normal size into a gargantuan fist, for no real reason it just seemed like a fun idea.
TEO actually got quite the kick out of modifying the human, it started to border on obsessive. It stopped eating and sleeping, instead converting more and more of the fleshy being into a WMD for the sheer idea of entertainment.
The eyes of the creature were incredibly interesting, as was this apparent secondary vein system present in the specimen, at first TEO assumed it to be a mutation from the touch of the void, instead it seemed to be native to the human, the veins transferred dense electrical currents across the body.
It made the modifications that TEO put in act a little strange but ultimate the acclimatisation process was swift, the human would live for several hundred years before age begun to factor in, it would heal rapidly, it would sleep minimally.
TEO fought the giddiness that burned in its rib cage, this was all so much fun! It had been so long since it was able to experiment on an actual subject!
Perhaps that's why the Orokin were so apprehensive to the Eridians? They crafted warriors in place of servants, the last TEO heard of the empire itself was that it was collapsing around some group of warrior monks called 'Tenno'.
That brought another idea to TEO, perhaps a suit to match the flesh? That would be quite exciting. From the brain scans TEO was able to understand this human somewhat, it was a fighter and thus required a fighter's outfitting.
TEO set to work, once more diving into work with gusto and vigor long since buried. The Eredian genius molded biomechanical material like it was mere cloth, taking samplings from the void energy readings and actual void traces from the human itself to allow seamless unification.
TEO had the idea to make the suit symbiotic with the human, in a bid to make it what the creature needed, it ended up looking like a simple black bodysuit with a simple faceless mask that was split down the centre, the split being dark blue in colour.
The suit would interface with its host through the various augments already in place along with being able to sink into the flesh of its host seamlessly to allow the sensation of touch to pass through, the suit actually writhed in TEO's grasp as it tried to bond with its soon-to-be master inside his incubation pod.
TEO had taken to referring to it as an incubator instead of a mere stasis pod, this would be new life, how long had it been since TEO had been able to craft like it had been? Many centuries at least.
Several of its minions worked about the Vault, making sure that all bits and pieces were together and running properly outside monitors alerted them all that several humans has assembled a Vault Key, why they were left outside TEO would never understand.
Initially TEO had planned to unleash the Vault Beast on them, a precautionary measure that teleported the entrance of the Vault to a hellish, tentacle infested, nightmare of a planet essentially releasing whatever horror that lurked into the abyss on the humans for their transgressions.
But Teo had an idea.
It would mean giving up quite a lot, but it would allow them peace and quiet.
"Prep the incubator for release." Ordered TEO as it readied the suit for bonding, one of its minions opened the porthole and TEO deposited the suit inside the now-vermillion liquid. Almost immediately the suit jumped to life and begun molding against the humans bare flesh, easily sliding over the synthetic limbs and firmly sitting against his skin.
TEO watched in interest as the suit begun to alter its colouration somewhat, the primarily black suit begun to have streaks of white show up, much like brush strokes on a canvas, the facemask sat happily in place but remained parted and flopped about in the water.
As the suit gave one final vibration of pleasure it settled, TEO saw on the full-body scan that the suit begun bonding to the host's skin cells at a rate that far exceeded projections.
The humans outside had gathered and one was posturing at the others, how quaint.
"You will provide me with much entertainment, human. I look forward to it." TEO said, an almost fond tone colouring its voice, the human was slowly being brought out of stasis, whilst those outside prepared their key.
"Secure this level, allow them access to levels one and two." Ordered The Exalted One as its minions busied themselves with the lockdown, they would retreat to the lower levels. TEO resealed the pod, though with all the systems being put into standby the inhabitant of it could easily remove themselves from it.
The pod suddenly jolted as it lifted off the ground and floated up several stories to nestle in against a cache of weapons and armour, a little surprise for those that would unseal their home.
Along with several dozen Eridian fighters, because if nothing else TEO is quite the ass.
The fighters were all armed and armoured to the metaphorical teeth and would provide a grand enough battle to let the humans outside think they earned their 'loot'. In truth the stores they would be leaving were some of their more outdated stock from before they left the Orokin Empire, but the humans need not know that.
"Beginning remote upload… this should make my project more… aware of his surroundings." TEO said as it locked down the final seal and retreated to its throne room, they would remain in the lowest section of the vault until the humans lost interest in it, then and only then would they allow the teleportation door to open for Eredian passage.
My first conscious thoughts after what felt like an eternity in the dark was that I was very comfortable, but I felt weightless as well.
The first true sensation I felt outside of the peace I enjoyed was the sound of cracking… glass? It sounded similar but much hardier, it's difficult to describe. I felt someone touch my chest for a moment before all the light in the world came rushing back to me.
"Hey- there's someone in here." Called out one of the Vault Hunters, Brick. He was built like a human muscle cloud, a short cut hairstyle and littered with scars, his narrow black eyes were at-that-moment not filled with murder-joy but instead quite calm. He sported a simple black singlet and ripped denims jeans with heavy boots on.
"Really?" Questioned another, this man was scrawnier, as were most humans on the planet, when compared to Brick. His name was Mordecai a wastelander looking fellow bundled up scarves and goggles to avoid dust getting in his mouth and eyes, he was the sharpshooter. Accompanied by his pet, Bloodwing. An aggressive looking bird with more scales than feathers.
Brick punched the glass of the container the person was 'trapped' in and moved to grab him, "Jesus, Brick. Have some care!" Chastised a redhead covered in blue-toned tattoos. She wore an off-yellow vest with a furred collar, it was zipped up only halfway revealing her orange singlet and cleavage. She wore dark leather chaps over a pair of jeans and brown boots.
"Dude looks like he's waking up." Commented the woman, her name was Lilith. Almost glowing orange eyes inspected the form of the previously contained man, she reached out and touched his chest, jostling him somewhat, "Hey, you okay?"
His eyes snapped open, revealing completely purple orbs lined with black ripples and small, white pupils. Those mysterious eyes ran up and down all of them for a moment before he leant up and looked down at himself.
For a moment all of the Vault Hunter's observed the way he looked at his right hand and his legs, as though they were foreign to him, he pulled himself out of his container and wobbled on his feet for a moment, the fourth Vault Hunter, Roland steadied him and received a grateful smile for his effort.
Roland was previously a Lancman working for the Atlas corporation, a soldier. Trained and dangerous, but a decent man. His skin was dark and his face was set into a perpetual stoic expression it seemed.
The stranger rubbed his throat for a moment, "You-cough-have my thanks." He said formally, dipping his head, squinting his eyes as he finally noticed the sunlight and how it offended his eyes, "Where-Pandora, what?" Muttered the man, rubbing his head of black hair in confusion.
"You alright, pal?" Questioned Mordecai with a quirked brow.
"My head is full of so much… stuff." Rumbled the suit wearing man, "I don't remember how I got here, but I… I know where I am? Does that make sense?" The man asked, looking at them all with a lost expression.
"Not really." Lilith admitted with a chuckle, "But it's not the weirdest thing." She wanted that to have more comfort to it than it did, "Do you know why you were in a Vault?"
"I uh… I was in the void." The man answered, "I was, trapped and confined. I felt myself being torn apart and then it… stopped. All the pain went away and I felt safe, I suppose would be the best way to put it."
"Sounds like you were in a bad situation, anything else?" Roland asked, cocking a brow.
"Images, sounds, places that I've never been but that I know… information I had no business having. My home, isn't here but… this is where I am now." Rattled off the man, "Pandora… this world is… a dumpster-fire."
Brick barked out a laugh whilst Mordecai shook his head, "Understatement my man."
"So how'd you end up in the vault?" Lilith asked, as she kicked open one of the many caches of weapons, the glorious glow of high end equipment made her eyes sparkle.
The man held his head, and frowned as he thought of it.
My mind was a haze, I honestly couldn't even fathom where I was, what memories were mine and what memories were implanted because of my resuscitation.
"I can't really say, it's all a blur at the moment." Admitted the black haired male, his strange eyes roaming across the room once more, he leant down and grabbed one of the many firearms hidden away in the Eridian caches.
It was an organic looking weapon with grey metallic flesh surrounding the outside and a large oval shaped gem socketed towards the end of the barrel, the stock had a U shape to it to fit around the shoulder when fired, Menma lifted the gun to his shoulder and shot it into the air.
The muzzle flashed as a great gout of electricity poured from the barrel, it burned through the air before disappearing into the horizon.
Mordecai whistled appreciatively, "Damn, we hit the jackpot."
"They regenerate ammunition." Menma said with disinterest.
Brick actually squealed in delight alongside Lilith.
They took me, along with all the loot they could carry, back to a place called 'Haven'. Much like the rest of this planet I felt like I'd already been there, it was starting to get on my nerves.
What got on my nerves more though was how goddamn ridiculous this world was.
"There's a tiny many with a bomb strapped to his chest running at us." Menma noted lazily from the vehicle, he was riding shotgun with Lilith, whilst Mordecai sat in the back - rifle at the ready - Roland and Brick Fast Travelled to Haven to get a head start on the next job.
"Yeah, that's a Psycho. Come in all shapes and sizes, don't sweat it Vault Man, I gotcha." Mordecai assured with a grin, positioning his new Eridian sniper rifle against his shoulder and blowing the midget away, literally.
"How long have you all been here?" Menma questioned, though it was more directed at the redhead.
"We've been on Pandora for a few months now, we've been career Vault Hunters for a few years, but before that we were - in my case - a rogue Siren trying to control her powers, Mordecai was a merc, along with Brick, and Roland was an Atlas Lancer. Though he quit for reasons." Lilith explained quickly, swerving around a few insectoid creatures to avoid toppling the technical.
"Interesting." Menma mumbled, "I'm still so confused as to how I got here." Admitted the transient, "It's quite the sharp contrast, my home planet to this place."
"Remember much about it?" Mordecai asked, figuring it best to get to know the guy.
"I remember everything up until I got here, actually." Menma said with a nod, "We were a primitive planet, in comparison to the greater universe. We still relied on swords and bows, gunpower wasn't a thing, nor were cars in any shape."
"Sounds lame." Mordecai said with a chuckle.
"We compensated by the fact that we are a warrior race, bred for conflict. My people are capable of bending the factions of nature to their whims, the waters of the oceans, the fires of creation, the lightning of the skies, the winds themselves and the earth below our feat." As an example Menma shot a wordless Fireball from his palm.
It appeared as though he was merely flicking his wrist but an explosion of flame erupted, on contact with an outcropping of monstrous skaggs it erupted, burning all within a decently sized radius.
Mordecai whistled appreciatively, but Lilith had to swerve back onto the road as the flames caught her off guard.
"A little warning next time!" Snapped the redhead.
"I'll try." Assured the black haired man with strange eyes, a smile stretching across his lips.
Lilith saw that and raised him a smirk, "Smart ass, huh? Well I'll keep that in mind."
"We got company, Lil." Mordecai said, his eye down his scope.
"What is it?"
"Bandits, typical." Mordecai clicked his tongue in annoyance, Bloodwing screeched but was quieted by the masked man.
"I can deal with them." Menma said, sliding out of the car and cracking his neck, his feet touched the ground and he was washed with the odd sensation that shot through his spine, it was like the nerves in his legs were completely shot and had only just started healing properly.
He'd been struck by lightning enough to know that sensation.
As if to answer his question his suit begun to mold and shift, the covering around his feet gave way to synthetic, shining metal limbs in place of his old flesh and bones ones, the suit rose up until it sat around his knees, the joints being the same material before blending into flesh.
His arms were revealed much the same way, with the suit retreating to his elbows, his right arm being shown off to the world in all its synthetic glory.
Menma sighed softly, having assumed something like this from all the information involving synthetic limbs forced into his brain, that didn't make finding out that he was essentially a cyborg any less upsetting.
"Typical." Mumbled the black haired man, the suit wriggled against his skin for a moment before shifting once more, this time it sealed around his face, the eyeholes of the mask having a slim glass film over them to protect his eyes.
A pair of horns grew from each side of his head, they jutted out before angling down to his chin, it looked like he had some very fancy L's on each side of his head. A broad length of material sprouted from each elbow of his suit running up to his bicep, each length had a glistening edge the twinkling slightly in the setting sunlight.
The bandit clan came to a halt several metres before the suited male, they saw the synthetic limbs, the shimmering of the metal upon them, the sleek suit and the odd glow of his eyes.
"Human treasure!" Screamed one of the Psycho's with glee, running forward with his buzz axe at the ready, "I'm going to wear your skin and then I will be the treasure!" Swore the madman.
Menma waved his hand and uttered, "Shinra Tensei." An almighty wave of gravity exploded out and crushed the Psycho, the bandits, and everything several kilometres behind them.
Menma turned back to the duo giving him a ride, his mask 'unzipping' and revealing his bored face, "May we continue?"
End.
Lemme know if you like it, if you didn't and/or what you thought.
This took me so long because I was trying to decide on where to start the fucker, I'm pretty okay with how it turned out - starting chapters are not my favourite - so hopefully this'll be a good jumping point.
Raxychaz!