So I was hesitant to write a Homestuck fiction because I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, REALLY like the characters and I didn't want to do any injustices but upon some urging of a couple of friends and a particular AU one of them brought to my attention I thought I'd try it out. Oh, also, Homestuck doesn't belong to me as much as I'd love it to. I considered putting this in the crossover fiction but I honestly won't be bringing any characters from Borderlands into the thing (Unless perhaps briefly mentioning through a group of some sort), this will also probably make it easier for this to be found. Oh, Borderlands doesn't belong to me either, I wish that did too but it doesn't. Anyway, enjoy guys.
Borders To Be Broken
"So why come 'ere a all places?"
"Pandora is full off…" And as if on cue there was the crashing of glass against worn wood and metal. "Opportunities." She smirked slightly at that, settling her hands onto the bar with her half gloved fingers curled around her drink.
It was a common question by now, people wondering why someone would dare come to Pandora if not hiding from law elsewhere. Bandits and lawlessness was a mainstay in the place, as intricately woven into the tapestry of life there that having a gun was legitimately a requirement. Not that the woman wrapped in long sleeves and a vest, hair windswept and lip half curved in a near perpetual smirk, was at all missing that key component of journey. Maliwan weapons were hooked to her body at each side of the belt hung over her hips, a pistol and smg respectively. But what caught more attention was the winding tattoos across her left side from fingertips to side and back up to her neck. She didn't even make a notable attempt to hide them.
"Seems awfully foolish ta give up a peaceful temple life for a hellhole, lady." It did didn't it? "Why don't ya just head back home?" Good question.
"Quite simply I can't." She pushed herself up and away from the bar just in time to slam into a patron deciding to move to the seat that had emptied next to her. Grand timing that was.
It was even grander when her eyes swept across the large shotgun strapped to his back while she turned to meet her possible opponent. No one had any manners on Pandora, sorry and thank you going by the wayside in favor of ammunition and fists. Not that it was entirely unwelcome, the best path was usually fairly easy to predict when all paths ended in violence. Smaller gun equaled better path. That wasn't an option here.
"Any particular way that your compensation can attempt to remain attached to your back?" She quirked an eyebrow, her tone dripping with more than implied insincerity.
At first she thought he would just grunt and pull out the gun like every other simpleton, she was wrong. "I can show ya I'm nah compensatin'." Oh of all the droll replies.
"I can't promise that would stay firmly attached." She narrowed her gaze, fingers twitching with a well repressed urge to have her hand meet his cheek.
And there was the grunt and gun pulled from his back as though it were the right way to press for what he was asking for. Ah well that wouldn't do. In that blurred instant his eyes lost sight of her, only to have her pistol pressed firmly against the back of his skull in the next with her tattoos slowly dimming. On cue the entirety of the bar silenced itself, several clicks from pulled weapons clattering through the silence.
She wasn't sure where the first shot came from but it came from somewhere and her imposing position was instantly compromised. She hadn't expected anyone to come to his aide but the dull throb that instantly cropped up against her free arm at least told her that said aide had really poor aim. It also told her it was time to leave just as fast as she'd pulled the gun. So with that she turned and didn't even bother clipping her gun back on before she vanished from the establishment. Count that as another place she'd manage to burn her welcome at, at least temporarily. She had no doubt that eventually she'd be welcome on the premises again with the wonderful sound of money being slapped down against the musty counter-tops again.
That wasn't an immediate concern though, what was an immediate concern was the pain in her left arm and lethargy from expending her powers so carelessly. She wasn't quite as skilled as she wished she was with them, practice was pretty limited on Pandora. If something could put you into harm's way without need it wasn't entirely the brightest idea to attempt it often, even if she did prefer relying on what she knew. So instead she'd been getting by using it in emergencies and using the weapons provided to her via oddly talking vending machine. She still wasn't quite sure how those entirely worked but she hadn't had the time to question that either. Not when there was a war occurring on this god forsaken planet. Especially not when she had to figure out her own abilities and how they fit into that war and how to benefit herself through the proceeding occurrences that she was about to partake in. Or perhaps, if necessary, how she could benefit allies through her actions.
Now the big question, why was she considering this while her arm was, not literally, on fire and bleeding steadily? The bar was off the list of safe places to go, and the endless expanse of sand in front of her was also probably entirely off the list. It was Pandora after all. Possibly get shot or wander into the Pandora desert and hopefully run into a friendly face? The desert it was. First thing was first. Her hands worked at the sleeve of her right arm taking farm more effort than she would have liked for the fabric to rip. She fumbled, once, twice, with knotting it around the wound before starting forward. Maybe the unfortunate splash of red and ripped fabric would make her appear more imposing. Bandits used blood all the time to attempt to bring fear to their opposition didn't they, not that it entirely worked with a few well placed shots and... whatever her powers actually did to them. Accidentally completely vaporizing a bandit or two when she arrived here was fairly entertaining.
She had time while she trudged forward to think about it. There was a town out there somewhere wasn't there? It wasn't so much a town really as a stronghold, it had been advertised more than a fair deal on holos throughout her first couple of stops on Pandora. Sanctuary wasn't it? The Crimson Raiders were holed up against the various bandit groups and Handsome Jack himself. Jack had advertised enough as well, moreso than the Crimson Raiders had been able to. He was asking for skilled Vault hunters, skilled was a broad term, he pretty much was requesting anyone with a gun and enough guts to go searching for something despite the; skag, rakks, bullymongs, bandits, threshers, varkids, stalkers and spiderants one would probably encounter on the way. She'd heard a lot of talk about people hyping themselves to take on such a task but few had actually gone through with it and those that did seemed to drop off the holonet completely. Easy reasoning said the transport he provided was a trap, easier reasoning said it was better to go it alone on Pandora. Most days.
Back on track, the directions to Sanctuary had been a touch vague. Perhaps she could look it up on one of the "fast travel stations" littered around Pandora. Another Hyperion placement that Jack had put into effect to further his own agenda. It was useful for the time being, and she'd probably have to pay in to use it to save her hide at the moment. So with that she decided to head towards the bar again, she was sure there had been a station somewhere near it. They always tended to be around landmarks of some kind and she'd chosen that bar not because it was just another stop on her way through the desert, but because it actually had lodging and not just alcohol. There she realized she'd forgotten to at least phase her alcohol out of the bar with her. That would be have been an incredibly nice coincidence if she'd remembered it since it might have dulled the pain a bit. Sometime she forgot how much pain the heavily modified weapons here on Pandora did over actual damage.
The wound wasn't hurting so much really as it was tingling uncomfortably like she was perpetually being stung or bitten by some sort of insect. Little annoying nipping sensations that were painful in the most horribly frustrating way because they ended up itching. That was good because she wouldn't have to hurry for Sanctuary anymore. Probably still a good idea though, they had promised shelter and the ability to pay Jack back for whatever he was doing. She wasn't really sure what he was doing, but with the information inferred that he'd set up a trap with his advertisement it was probably something to do with that.
"Here we are." She mumbled to herself, the thud of her boots a little careless as she wandered back up the steps to the bar she'd just escaped from. Thankfully the patrons that were staggering about didn't seem to be ones she'd encountered inside, nor did they seem to care about her presence at all. In fact the bar itself was absurdly loud, gunfire and yelling erupting from the place. "Sanctuary, Sanctuary... there." She practically punched the machine with her hand to lock in the destination only to have to dig through her pockets to pay the blasted machine.
It took quite literally every bit of money she'd leftover from her entry here but it was well worth it. She didn't enjoy the feeling the machine caused, however. Phasing was natural to her, natural as breathing since she was born with the ability, but what happened here was something else entirely. It didn't have the sharp pull to it, the feeling of having to push through something with her powers. It didn't have any sensation of something actually tangent in her world, just being there one moment and then somewhere else the next. It actually made her shudder.
It couldn't be given much thought though given she ended up in a building she had absolutely no clue about in a supposed bandit headquarters on a planet known for having everyone shoot everyone whenever they could. Perhaps this wasn't such a fantastic idea.
First chapter is a little short I know, I hope no one minds, its meant to be introductory and I hope everyone likes it. The story takes place during Borderlands 2 I would hope people would notice, but it doesn't actually matter to the vault hunter's story at all. In fact other than mentioning Roland recruiting on the holo that's probably all we'll hear about the characters there. I like leaving things a little open ended, it allows me more room to work. Anyway, drop a review if you enjoy it, favorite and alertify it to be on the look out for more. Future chapters will be longer!