The sherrif and the soldier
At first it seems to be a pretty ordinary day for Axton: he had seen some wanted posters with a nice reward, found the bandits and killed them with ease, and now he's going back to Lynchwood to take the promised reward and, as a proof of what he's done, he's taking with him the body of the leader of the gang, and he can't wait to finally drop it to the deputy Winger; for real, if bandits smell bad when they're alive, when they're dead it's even worse.
How boring, though, living a life like this. Well, he can't exactly complain since at least he gets some money out of it.
If he continues like this he'll finally get the challenge he craves so much, or at least he hopes so.
Once he arrives at Lynchwood he's met by the same silence as always. If he didn't know better he would suspect that everyone had just left, but he knows it's not that easy leaving Lynchwood, at least not while you're alive.
It must suck to live there, in a place where even stepping outside of your own house can be enough to get you the death sentence.
Axton sighs and he readjusts the body on his shoulder; that's enough empathy for the day. Time to get his reward and get the hell out of there.
How should he spend his money? He could go get wasted inside a bar, and maybe even get laid if a cute lady or gentleman is available, but there's also that Torgue's rocket launcher that he really, really wants.
Damn it, it's a tough choice.
He finally arrives to the deputy's office but to his surprise nobody's there.
That's unusual but it doesn't bother Axton that much; he lays the body on Winger's desk and he sits on the chair waiting for him to come back from whenever he's at.
What happened, though? Axton really hopes it wasn't a bandits emergency or something like that because that would mean he's missing all the fun right now.
He sighs, tapping his finger on the desk with impatience; he can wait a few minutes, but he isn't going to stay there all day to wait for the reward. He has better things to do. Well, not really, but that's not the point.
He has no idea about how much time has passed but he has had enough, so he gets up, ready to leave the place, and he decides to leave the body there too – he has no intentions to bring it with him – but he's stopped by a hand on his shoulder.
- Why leaving now? You must be Axton, right? Winger talks a lot about you -. It's a woman's voice.
Axton curses himself for having let his guard down, but thankfully the stranger doesn't seem to want to harm him. He looks at her but part of her face is covered by her big purple hat, still Axton doesn't recognize the little parts he can see.
The woman notices the body on the desk and she says:
- Oh, I see. You're here to take the reward, aren't you? Don't worry, your services for the community won't be forgotten -.
She goes around the desk, sitting where usually the deputy sits, and only now Axton understands: her voice is the same as the one he hears on the speakers every time he sets foot in Lynchwood.
- So, how much is it, sheriff? -, he asks, - He usually doesn't like when I bring them dead -.
- Who, Winger? -, the sheriff says, - Don't worry about him, he's busy today. As for me I think that bringing them dead is better, spares us a lot of time, although I must say that I wouldn't mind being able to execute them myself, sometimes -.
At last he's found someone that appreciates his work.
- Well -, he replies, smirking, - Looking at the gallows it doesn't seem that you lack people to hang -.
The sheriff smiles back.
- Yeah, you're right, and please, call me Nisha -, she says, - I think you're one of the few people who deserve to know my name -.
Axton doesn't say anything as he lets her scribble over some documents and hand him his reward. He doesn't want to be there anymore and, in fact, as soon as he's done he thanks her and he leaves.
- What a woman -, he comments under his breath once he's finally out.
He doesn't really hate her, actually, he thinks they could get along pretty well and he also appreciates that she didn't pay him half the reward for having killed the bandits, going against what was written on the posters, but he's still wary of her.
She's dangerous, Axton can clearly see that, and she thirsty for blood. But Axton isn't a coward – actually he really enjoys danger – so he hopes he'll meet her again sometimes; who knows, maybe they'll have some fun together.
Oh well, at least now that he has enough money he can finally get that Torgue's rocket launcher he had laid his eyes upon for a long time.
He can't wait to blow up psychos and bandits with that!
Pandora is such a fun planet; he should have come here sooner.
The next time he's back to Lynchwood the deputy's there. He asks him what he was doing that day but the deputy doesn't answer and, despite his curiosity, Axton doesn't insist and he starts telling him about his encounter with the sheriff.
- Wow -, Winger says at the end of his story, - She must really like you for letting you go that easily -.
- I mean, I haven't done anything wrong, so… -, Axton starts but looking at the face the deputy makes is enough to make him realize that he's telling a bunch of crap, - Ok, maybe I just got lucky -.
- Yeah, that's definitely the reason -.
- … Is she here? -.
- Why do you want to know? -, Winger asks.
Axton shrugs.
- I'm serious, Axton, what do you have in mind? -.
- Saying "hi"? -, he replies, knowing well that Winger won't believe him, - C'mon, man. Just because we fucked once doesn't mean you have to worry this much about me, not even my mom did that -.
- Still I'd rather have you alive, or else who would kill all the bandits for us? -.
- Aww -, Axton says, leaning on the desk to get as close as he can to the deputy, - Are you perhaps falling for lil' old me? -, he asks, smirking.
Winger doesn't humor him with a reply; he just sighs.
- Now I really hope she kills you next time -, he mutters, dismissing Axton with his hand.
He laughs and leaves the office, not before blowing a kiss at the other.
Maybe if he's lucky he'll meet Nisha soon.
He is lucky and the next time he goes to Lynchwood he finds her waiting for him.
- I'm glad you're here -, she says, - I might have some work for you -.
Axton smirks.
- Oh, must be something very important if the sheriff herself is telling me this -, he replies.
- Actually, it is -, she says.
- There's a group of bandits who's raiding my city -, she explains, - They come at night and then they're immediately gone and, as much as I hate admitting it, they're too many even for me -.
- So let me guess, you need my help to catch them all in one night -, Axton finishes for her.
- … Exactly -, Nisha replies.
- Mm… -, Axton muses, - It seems fun, but I wonder about the payment… -.
- Let's put it this way -, she says, - If you kill more bandits than me I'll pay you the triple of what we usually give you, all right? -.
- A challenge, uh? I love it! -.
That same night the two are stationed at the end of the tunnel where the train passes to take people to Lynchwood.
Axton can't wait anymore for the bandits to arrive. He wants to have fun and he's also curious to see how Nisha fights; after all she's the sheriff of the town, she must be really good.
He looks at her; she's at the other side of the tunnel. He can't see her very well – they had decided not to use any light at least until the bandits arrive – but he doesn't miss the gesture she does with her hand, like she's waving at him, to which he replies making the military salute.
When the bandits arrive, hell breaks loose.
They fall like leaves under the shots of both Axton and Nisha, and the few lucky guys who make through the tunnel alive are met with Axton's turret, which doesn't spare any of them.
It doesn't take too long for the bandits to decide to run away, but neither Nisha nor Axton have intention of letting them escape alive, so obviously they run after them.
Suddenly he hears her laughing and he start to laugh with her; doing this kind of stuff with someone else is much funnier than he thought. It adds a bit of a challenge because, of course, neither of them wants to appear inferior to the eyes of the other, so they're doing their best slaughtering the remaining bandits.
When it's over Axton almost says "already?".
He looks at Nisha and she seems to be on the same page as him. Her breath is irregular, her clothes red – it's not her blood what's staining them, though – but she's smiling.
Suddenly Axton feels more in danger than before; she could easily point her gun at him just because she hasn't had enough, actually it's a wonder she hasn't done it already.
She doesn't move, and neither Axton does; he still has his rifle in his hand, just in case – being shot by a former ally while he's defenceless doesn't really figure on the list of the ways he'd like to die.
Then she seems to calm down; she looks at Axton and she smiles.
- We make a good team -, she says and Axton nods.
- Did they hit you? -, he asks.
Nisha shakes her head.
- What about you? -.
- They wish they were that good -, he replies as well, - So how about the payment? -.
- Are you in a hurry? -, Nisha asks, and Axton doesn't want to make her angry by saying "yes", so he denies, - Then why don't we celebrate our victory, first? -.
They end up at a bar Axton didn't even know existed.
He thought anything fun was banned from Lynchwood, but apparently he was wrong, even though there's no sign outside the bar, no costumers inside and the barman looks scared shitless.
As he had said before, Axton's really happy he doesn't live there.
- So, I guess I should thank you for your help -, Nisha states.
- There's no need -, Axton replies, - It was fun -.
- Yes, fun -, Nisha repeats, then she starts to stare at him without saying anything.
Axton holds her gaze for a while, but he doesn't like being observed like that, like she's trying to find some weak points to use at her advantage, which is probably what she's doing right now, so he says:
- What? -.
- You really are a mystery, Axton -, Nisha comments, - You've just showed up, one day, with the head of a wanted bandit leader, and from that day you come and go killing dozens and dozens of people -.
- I have to live somehow, y'know? -, he replies, but Nisha ignores him.
- Besides, you always boast about your military training at Dahl, so why are you here, all alone and working as a mercenary when you should be with Dahl's army? -.
- Well, that's a long story -, Axton starts, - Let's just say I was too awesome for the army life -.
- Too awesome for the army? -.
- What, you don't believe me? -.
- I can see it, actually -.
- And you? -, Axton asks, - How you ended up here? -.
- It's a long story -, Nisha replies, - Let's just say I was too awesome for staying at home -.
Axton chuckles.
- Fair enough -.
Axton doesn't even like alcohol that much but he can hold his liquor quite well, and so does Nisha. They keep drinking shot after shot, talking and laughing like two old pals.
Then suddenly Nisha pulls out her gun, pointing it at Axton who, at least that time, isn't caught off guard and he takes out his rifle, pointing it at her.
They don't move, they don't say anything. They just keep looking at each other for who knows how much time, then they both burst into laughter, pointing away their weapons.
- I really thought you were going to shoot me -, Axton manages to say between the laughs.
- I actually considered it -, Nisha replies.
- What? Me too! -.
- Axton, you really are something -, Nisha admits once she calms down.
- I'd love to stay here some more, but unfortunately being a sheriff also means that I have lots of boring duties to attend -, she says then, - I hope to see you soon, possibly with the head of some wanted bandit -.
- Then we'll see each other very soon -, Axton replies, smirking.
Nisha smirks back.
- Good, very good -, she says, then she gets up, - When you're done go to the deputy. He'll pay you for your help -.
When she's gone Axton lets out a whistle.
- Really, what a woman -, he mutters, before gulping down his last shot of rakk-ale.
Of course as soon as he gets to Winger's office he doesn't waste any time and he tells him everything without leaving out any detail – maybe the alcohol is helping him speaking that much.
- I can't believe she didn't shoot you -, the deputy says after the tale is over.
- She said she considered it -, Axton points out.
- That's why I'm saying it's weird that she let you live -.
- She must really like me then -, Axton replies, - Besides, I could've shot her too, don't forget that -.
- Or maybe she just likes that you take down her enemies -, the deputy says, - You shouldn't let your guard down around her, especially now that she's taken an interest in you -.
- Yeah, yeah, don't worry, I'm not stupid -, Axton replies, - And also it may not seem like it, but I'd rather stay alive -.
Despite that he still meets up with Nisha every time he can.
Sometimes they hunt down bandits, sometimes they just stay at the bar – and every time there's a different barman greeting them – doing nothing more than idle chat, or they do both. Sometimes they even play cards together.
Either way at one point or another one of the two would point their gun at the other, just to see if they were paying attention, but they never actually shoot. It's just a game to see who'll take the other by surprise first.
It's an ordinary day when Axton goes to take his reward for yet another wanted group of criminals and he hears Handsome Jack's announcement on the radio.
He asks Winger where Nisha is, after all he knows she's Jack's girlfriend – she openly admits it into one of the recordings the speakers play – and she could tell him something more about this Vault hunting business, but she's not there. Not even Winger knows where she is and Axton believes him: he's far too serious for all this lying bullshit everyone wants to try once in a while.
That said, he isn't stupid and her absence is highly suspicious.
He should wait for her to come back to try to get some information out of her but Axton's never been a cautious kind of guy.
He'll just send a message to Hyperion and hope for a reply, and even if it's really a trap, it won't be anything he can't handle, right?
He's escaped from way deadlier situations, he's sure he can make it out alive from this little adventure too.
Turns out it's really a trap, but in the end it manages to just mildly inconvenience him, even though he's lost his Torgue rocket launcher, for fuck's sake.
He has made a mistake, but that mistake turns out to be the best decision he has ever made in his entire life because not only he's been caught into a great series of events – bye bye the "little adventure" he'd thought this would have been – but he had found some friends as well, yes, actual friends: people crazy enough to go down with whatever – ok, maybe not everything but close – he would come up with, but also people he feels safe to trust.
He's not angry at Nisha, though, far from it actually, not that he says anything about her to the others: the objective is Handsome Jack and Hyperion; Lynchwood is far from being the priority and Axton hopes, in all honesty, that it'll keep being like this. He'd like to duel with Nisha, just because he knows it would be fun, but he also wants her alive.
He doesn't consider her a friend, but they've been partners in crime – more like "partners in stopping criminals from committing crimes by killing them" actually – for so many times that he had started to care a bit about her, even if he didn't think she reciprocated.
Despite his hopes they do end up at Lynchwood, at it's not just for a simple trip. Only he, Maya and Gaige are there, though: they have decided to split from the others so that meanwhile they can finish a job for Lilith.
The voice of Winger can be heard from the speakers and Axton really hopes they won't end up meeting him. He's just a guy who's forced to do his job or else he'll be killed, but Axton doesn't know if the other two would let him go if he tells them.
Eventually Nisha challenges them; of course she does: she likes danger like, if not even more than, Axton, and that's the perfect occasion to have some fun.
- It's time to go on with this damn duel we've been pushing back since day one, don't you think, Soldier Boy? -, she says over the radio, using the same nickname she had started to give Axton before the whole Vault hunting business began.
Axton smirks; she hasn't changed a bit – not that they've been apart for so long anyways.
- Yes, sheriff -, he replies, ignoring his companions' questioning looks.
- It's a long story -, he says then, - I'll explain later -.
Obviously Nisha doesn't play by the rules and she's not alone; talking about a fair duel.
Winger is there too, of course, and Axton feels like he has to do something or his friends will kill him.
- Let's focus on the sheriff -, he says then, - If we kill her the others will stop attacking us -.
- You sure know a lot about this place, huh? -, Maya states, charging her smg.
- I used to come here often before -, Axton explains, - Everybody's under the sheriff's grasp, but if they could they'd rebel against her. We can save them -.
- Wait a second! -, Gaige exclaims, - Are you even the real Axton? You're being so compassionate! Are you, like, his good twin? -.
- Either way we'll do our best to not kill them. But if the sheriff's down and they continued to attack they're dead meat -, Maya promises.
- Yes ma'am -, Axton agrees, not that he would have wanted it any other way.
The battle lasts for a while, after all the Vault hunters are still at clear disadvantage, especially now that they're focusing only on the sheriff instead of taking out her minions before.
In the end it's Axton the one who delivers the killing blow, and Nisha falls from the roof she was stationed on. Immediately the biggest part of the henchmen – and thankfully also Winger – drop their weapons as a sign of surrender; a few people try to resist but the trio of Vault hunters quickly takes care of it.
Now what? Nisha is dead and Lynchwood is without a leader; what will the people living there – if Nisha hadn't already killed them all already – do?
Maybe he could talk to Roland and try to convince him to bring them to Sanctuary, after all they're Hyperion's victims too.
Meanwhile Maya and Gaige already want to go, but he manages to convince them to wait.
- All right, we'll wait for you at the tunnel. Do what you have to do but hurry up -, Maya says, then she and Gaige leave.
Axton stays there, instead, staring at Nisha's lifeless body.
Soon he's joined by the deputy – ex deputy? He has no idea – Winger.
- Right when I thought I wasn't going to see you anymore -, he comments, making Axton smile.
- Are you getting soft on me now, mister deputy? -, he says.
- In your dreams -, he replies, then they both get silent.
- You should go now -, Winger says after a while, - Hyperion's gonna blow this whole place up, I tell you -.
- And what will you do? -, Axton asks.
Winger shrugs and Axton really wants to say "come with us at Sanctuary" but something stops him. Besides he's pretty sure he wouldn't accept his offer.
It's then that he realizes that Nisha still has her gun in her hand; even in death she's still holding it.
He picks it up and examines it. It's an old Jackobs but it seems to be still working. He's about to say something about it to Winger but he anticipates him:
- Keep it if you want. I don't want to have anything to do with that bitch anymore -.
Axton considers it, then he decides to keep it. Nisha would be upset if her precious gun doesn't get any action anymore.
He pats on Winger's shoulder without saying anything – what else is left to say? – and then he leaves, joining Maya and Gaige.
Even while they're travelling back to Sanctuary he doesn't speak much, which is weird considering how much it usually takes to make him shut up; he even lets Maya drive. The road to Ellie, after all, is short, so he isn't worried; once they get there they'll use the fast travel station to get to Sanctuary.
Thankfully both Maya and Gaige decide to leave him alone with his thoughts for a while.
The problem is that he doesn't even know how he should feel about this: Nisha did a lot of bad stuff, she was cruel and a bit of a bitch when she wanted to, and she was on Hyperion's side, but still he liked her. They've had legitimate fun together and he genuinely enjoyed the time they spent at the bar.
He knows it's just a matter of time and he won't think about this anymore, but at least for now he just wants to be left alone.
They weren't friends but, if the situation had been different maybe they could have been.
Author's notes: we know that Axton has been at Lynchwood before the events of Bl2, and that made me think, how is it possible that he never meets Nisha? Not even once? So that's how this fic was born, and I'm really proud of it (it's also the longes stand-alone fic I've ever written, yay).
Here Roland's still alive, cause I think the events in Lynchwood, being all side-missions, happen when you meet Brick; after he's the one holding a grudge against Nisha, so it makes sense that you meet him and then he tells to go there.
I tried to give some space to deputy Winger as well; I don't mind the guy, even though we know basically nothing about him, and also c'mon, he and Axton totally fucked at least once.