Handsome Jack saw many things when he looked into the depths of the Alien artifact. He saw the future; the existence of an unstoppable ancient force, the means to contain and use it's power, the deaths of countless sinful savages, tons upon tons of an Alien element, and finally, his own demise. He was beside himself, unable to accept the fact he would inevitably lose, that what he dreamed of for Pandora, to be a place of prosperity, order, and lawfulness would always be that; a dream and nothing more. But, as Lilith betrayed him and destroyed the relic, scarring Jack for life, he saw something more. He saw a world inhabited by superpowered individuals that lived in tandem with mystical spirits, completely untouched by galactic civilization. No guns, no space travel. They had barely started an industrial revolution, for goodness sake. He saw empires of vast wealth and knowledge, whose power had spanned millennia. Most importantly, however, he saw a girl. A girl whose power knew no bounds. A girl who held the power of the elements at her fingertips. A girl that, if swayed, would assure his victory.
During the events of Borderlands 2, after Angel has died. Jack successfully killed Roland, but Lilith managed to escape. Running out of options, Jack leaves Pandora in the (faithful?) hands of his multiple doppelgangers and Executives and heads to the planet he had seen in his visions, determined to see his dream become reality, and avenge the death of his daughter.
Told from two major perspectives: Handsome Jack, and less frequently Korra. A few side characters will have brief perspectives as well.
I do not own any of these characters. Please support the official releases.
Chapter 1: Fallen Angels
¨Heads up, Korra!¨ Asami yelled as she sent a splash of water towards the young Avatar. They were swimming together in a shallow pond, somewhere in the spirit world. Korra didn't know exactly where they were, but it didn't concern her. A map was useless in the spirit world, as there was no specific way to reach one destination from the other. You just came upon things as you traveled, but found what you were looking for if you needed to. It imbued a sense of wonder within Korra, like only the two of them knew where they were, and that was all that mattered. Finally, alone.
Korra was lost in her thoughts, and didn't react to the splash of water heading towards her. It collided with her head, drenching every inch of Korra that wasn't underwater. Thankfully Korra wore her hair short nowadays, or else it'd be sticking to her face now.
Asami balled in laughter as Korra, with a playfully aggravated look on her face, shook her head like her pet Polar Bear Dog, Naga, would to dry her hair.
¨Not fair! I wasn't paying attention!¨ She yelled in response. Asami giggled as she played with her own hair.
¨Not my fault. You oughta be more aware of your surro-woah!¨ She began to tease, but was cut off by a perfect sphere of water colliding with her face. She was pushed back a few inches. When she brought her head back to level, her wet hair stuck to her neck, cheeks, and forehead. Korra snickered.
¨Ha! Don't start a splash fight with a waterbender, Sato!¨ Korra teased, as Asami picked her hair off of her skin and back into place. Asami smirked as Korra began to flex her arm muscles, showing off like a bodybuilder. Asami took the opportunity to sneak up on Korra and grappled her, thrashing around in the water wildly. Korra was surprised, but began to play along.
¨Oh? I'll show you some muscles!¨ Asami let out, like a battle cry, as she play fought with Korra. They giggled in unison as they twisted, turned, and splashed at each other in the pond. Korra was putting up a valiant fight, but Asami was slowly overpowering her. Thinking quickly, Korra waterbended the two of them into a bubble, lifted them slightly in the air, then plopped them down in the green grass along edge of the pond. The water surrounding them splashed into the dirt, and Asami and Korra completely soaked in the grass. The Avatar spit out a bit of water that had gotten into her mouth, then turned to look at Asami, who began to giggle again. Korra giggled with her as she scooted to Asami's side, then collapsed on her back in exhaustion. Asami soon followed suit.
¨Man, this vacation is probably the best idea you've ever had, Asami. I haven't had this much fun in years.¨ Korra let out, putting her hands behind her head.
¨Yeah, me neither. You know, after you left for the Southern Water Tribe, my life just became 'work on this frustrating invention' and 'meet with these boring old people'. It got so boring without you.¨ Asami responded, smiling. Korra felt an echo of guilt pass through her.
¨I'm sorry about leaving for so long. I just needed some time. I didn-¨
¨Don't you even start. It's not your fault, you were hurt. I'd never blame you for doing what you did. No one would.¨ Asami interrupted.
¨Even so, I should have asked you to come with me. You have no idea how much I regretted not asking, at the least.¨ Korra said, edging a little closer to Asami.
¨Yeah, it was tough seeing you go, but it was something you had to do. I understand,¨ She said.
The sentiment made Korra feel a bit better about herself, in addition to making her all warm and fuzzy inside. The warm fuzzy feeling fled from her as her mind turned to newer, uncertain topics.
¨Asami, are you sure about this?¨ She asked. Asami looked at her in confusion.
¨Sure about what? That this vacation is awesome? Absolutely, it's so relaxing out here.¨
¨No, I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about...you know...us.¨ Korra's heart raced as the words escaped her mouth. Oh goodness, should I have brought it up so soon?
¨Why do you ask? Do you think something's...wrong with it?¨ Asami replied.
¨No! No, of course not! It's just that...well...we aren't teenagers anymore. What we have isn't some fling or crush. We've got a really...important, no...special kind of relationship. No, wait, I don't mean it isn't important, I mean...¨ Korra's breathing was getting faster and faster, her face was welling up like a rose bud.
¨You mean that what we feel about each other is something we've never felt before, even with Mako.¨ She interrupted Korra. Had she not, Asami feared Korra would give herself have a stroke.
¨Y-yeah, that's it. Asami, I really like you. Like, more than love like you. I want you to be with me forever, to enjoy the rest of our lives together. Honestly, it's kind of a scary feeling.¨ To Korra's surprise, Asami took her hand with hers, and turned on her side as she spoke to her.
¨Yes, Korra, I'm sure. You've been a big part of my life for so long now, I can't imagine me doing much of anything without you. All that time we spent together helping Tenzin make the Air Nation, fighting Zaheer, and defending Republic City, they were the most exciting times of my life. I have you to thank for them." Asami said.
"I don't know if I deserve as much credit as you give me..." Korra said..
"You do, Korra. On top of all that, you're a sensible, wise, strong woman who has cared more about those around you than anyone I've ever met! I don't know what my life would be like without you, and I never want to find out. No matter how scary it is, I want this to happen."
Korra's tone grew solemn.
¨Asami, I don't know if I could have gotten past what Zaheer did to me if it wasn't for the thought of you. As terrible a time in my life that was, I always knew I had you back in Republic City to think of. I knew you cared.¨
Korra turned on her side now, and they both looked longingly into each other's eyes, their faces inches apart.
"I love you Asami."
"I love you too, Korra."
"No, Angel. Angel!" Handsome Jack screamed into his monitor. His daughter did not respond, but her limp and lifeless body offered all the response he required.
Jack was seated in Control Core Angel's command center; a large, decorated room above his daughter's chamber. He rose to his feet and kicked his Hyperion color-scheme computer chair behind him. It flew across the room, and crashed into a nearby potted plant. he cupped his hands over his mask, he was in utter denial at what had just transpired in the chamber below him. "No, no no no."
I'm dreaming, this is just another nightmare. Yeah, a nightmare. I'll wake up soon, and when I do, I'm going down to Angel's chamber to remind her how much I love her. I'll look her in the eyes and say 'Honey, daddy loves you very much. A-and he's sorry for everything that's happened since...your mother left'. I...this has to be a dream, it has to be! Handsome jack thought to himself.
When he removed his face from his cupped hands, the scene displayed on the monitor did not change. This wasn't a dream. It was real, deadly real. His arms fell weakly to his sides, and a rush of numbness overtook him. His daughter, the only thing he had left of his family, his baby Angel, was dead now. Those vault hun-, no, those Bandits. The Bandits stood around Angel's body, celebrating their victory. Celebrating the death of his baby girl.
The numbness in Jack's body burst out of him, and a searing, hateful anger took hold. His weak, shaky hands balled into fists, and smashed the analogue keyboard that sat before him. The keys were flung about the room, skittering on the floor until they smacked the wall.
Jack looked down at his fists. Large dents in the steel table sat under them. His fingers were bloodied and bruised, but he did not feel the pain. At that moment, all he could feel was his blood rushing through his veins. It sped through his body as hot as molten rock. Jack started to tremble, his body unable to handle the stress and tension that welled inside him.
Then he snapped.
"No!"
Jack let out a deep, throaty wail. He held his crimson soaked hands high above his head and blood trickled down his forearms, onto his mask. His scream reverberated off of the steel walls of his comfy enclosure for what seemed like hours, but, in reality, was only a few seconds. As the echos of his grief finally subsided, without missing a beat, Jack bolted for the elevator exit. His mind was void of scheming and his usual egotistical inner monologue. No, now only one thought was present in Jack's deranged, furious mind. He needed someone else's' blood on his hands, and the baby killers below him would make fine donators.
Jack landed behind Roland as he conversed with his fellow child murderers. Jack was cloaked by the finest cloaking system money could buy. It was Hyperion, of course. He needed every guarantee that someone would die by his hand, and Roland was looking like the most likely subject. He walked towards the Crimson Raiders commander, brandishing his gun as he did. He held the gun tightly in his arms, almost cradling it, like a father would a baby girl.
Jack could not tell what the group was discussing. He was deaf in his anger, either disregarding the nonsense they spoke and ignoring them, or literally was unable to hear through the ringing in his ears. Either way, it did not matter. Roland motioned towards Lilith, the Siren that aided in his daughter's murder, and years ago had branded his face. His arms screamed at him, yelling at him to mow down the traitorous, savage wretch that stood mere meters away from him. But, a better, more fitting thought crossed his mind.
He silently decloaked behind Roland, the barrel of his pistol inches away from his back. No one had noticed him yet, and for their gross unawareness, Jack would make them pay.
He pulled the trigger. The pistol recoiled forcefully into his hand. It felt like a bolt of lightning had shot from the palm of his hand, took a tour around his spine, then shot back up into his skull. The world slowed down as Roland was moved by the impact of the bullet. He lurched forward at first, groaned as realization shot through him (figuratively, and literally), then fell flat on his face with a wet slap. Silhouetted where Roland once was, Jack stood over him while evil, satisfied grin formed on his face as he heard Lilith wail in horror. He digi-deconstructed his pistol back into it's holster. He now looked the four bandits that had come to kill his daughter straight in their faces. A lesser man would have yelled at them, a more brash man would have cursed at them. At that moment, Jack was neither. He was simply a father grieving the loss of his child, his last remnant of family. In a show of what was either laziness of coming up with a witty one liner, or sheer apathy at the thought of saying anything profound, he said only one word.
"Sup."
He heard Lilith speak his name, and he readied the shock collar he had hidden in his left hand. But, Lilith was far faster than Jack had expected, and released a fiery uppercut to Jack's jaw. The force behind it was astounding, and launched Jack in a spiral towards the other side of the room. He landed on his back, and rubbed the side of his jaw Lilith had punched. He still did not feel the pain, but he did indeed feel the cracking of his jaw as he snapped it back into place, along with the scorch marks left on the bottom of his mask.
"Ugh, you flamey bitch!" He let out as the final snap of his jaw signified it was back in place. The bandits, led by Lilith, were now in a dead sprint towards him, weapons drawn. This wasn't how he planned for things to go, not by a long shot. Eh, desperate times and blah blah blah. Jack thought as he stumbled to his feet, clearly more dazed from Lilith's attack than he had first thought. He tapped the blue light on his gauntlet, and his form started to fizzle and disappear. Axton, the commando, had drawn his rocket launcher and fired at Jack's position, hoping to catch the fading tyrant in its blast. But, Jack didn't reach the top of the Hyperion corporate ladder on looks and 'kind' words alone, and leapt high into the air in the direction of the rafters as his cloaking device fully took effect. Lilith screamed in anger, and stomped her feet while shooting her arms out in rage. Bright orange flames shot forth from her position, coating the entire chamber in a low flame. Maya, the other Siren, quickly shielded herself and the three other bandits as fire engulfed the area around them. Had Jack not been hanging from one of the support struts on the ceiling, he would have been roasted alive.
The flames subsided seconds after they appeared, and left behind an enraged Lilith, who cursed and shouted Jack's name.
¨Jack! So help me god, no mask will be able to cover what I'm going to do to you when I get my hands on you! I'll maim you, roast you like a marshmallow until your pretty little face pops!¨ She shrieked. Goodness, she was pissed.
As he hung from the support, he contemplated whether he should insult them, try another cloaked attack, or just blow them all to hell. Insults, as fun as they were, wouldn't do much to help the situation. The group realized that Jack was using a cloak device, so another attack wouldn't go as smoothly. Jack didn't like in particular how Zer0, the haiku-speaking, body-suit clad bandit, was surveying the room. Jack hadn't the faintest idea as to what was in that weirdly shaped head of Zer0's, but it'd be just his luck for him to have a infrared vision module.
Having browsed through his options, Jack decided on the most reasonable plan of attack; blow the whole complex the hell up. Having lost Angel, he had no more use for the place. While the executives and the stockholders would whine at him for his decision, they would just have to deal with it. The sequence would send the intruders running, and would give him enough time to escape. Jack climbed to the top of the support, where he stood and tapped the blue light on his wrist once more.
¨Y'know, it's been fun and all, you killing my baby girl, ruining my plans, me killing that pathetic excuse of a leader of yours. It's been great, let's do it again sometime. But, have you ever heard of that phrase, 'Don't fuck with a guy that has nothing left to lose'? Because, I'm going to show you baby-killing bandits just how much you have left to lose. Angel was all I had left. You took her from me. Soon, oh so very soon, I'm going to take everything from you, too.¨ Jack mockingly said over the intercom, which echoed through the empty chamber. he tapped a smaller, red light on the underside of his gauntlet. A holo screen popped up from his wrist, and Jack made a few quick movements. In an instant, the blue lights that illuminated the chamber turned red, and a computerized voice spoke over the intercom.
¨Thank you for activating the Hyperion brand, 'Enemy-be-gone!' self-destruction initiative. You have two minutes to vacate the premises, or be turned into a cloud of ash. We know you have many choices in self-destruction sequences, and we thank you for choosing the Hyperion corporation. Remember, when you mean business, you mean Hyperion.¨
The group below him let out a series of expletives, and made a run for the large, steel doors that led to the exit.
Great, they're gone. I need to get my personal ship. Its about time I had a word with a few bumbling executives. Jack dropped from the support, and exited the chamber through a smaller set of steel doors on the opposite side of the chamber.
Handsome Jack's ship floated near the Hyperion moonbase, Helios, listlessly. He sat in the personal quarters of his small starship, comfortably slouched in his favorite fluffy, white business chair. Before him was a holo screen, which displayed a number of Hyperion executives of various races and ages in business suits and ties. Jack had changed out of his usual attire, and now sported a fairly outlandish set of clothes. He wore a black blazer, with a red button-up shirt underneath, his signature watch chain still hanging out of his front pocket. Black slacks were visible under the comfortable throw blanket that sat in his lap. A small table sat beside the chair, holding a steaming cup of coffee. Even when in defeat, Jack was eccentric and casual. One executive, a pale, aging man, spoke up from the screen.
"Sir, do you believe it was entirely necessary to blow up Control Core Angel? Hyperion has sunk millions into that project over the years. With the loss of that and the Vault Key, we've lost an incredible sum of money. The shareholders are growing restless." The man was agitated, but not overly so. People who lost their tone with Handsome Jack in his meetings often lost other things, like their tongues. Jack placed his hand around the cup beside him, and looked at the screen dead on. His face was expressionless, either angry or jovial.
"Listen, Mister...whatever, your name doesn't matter. Get mouthy with me one more time and your new name will be Mr. Skag Lunch. I, more than anyone else in this damn company, know how much work went into Control Core Angel. May I remind you that my daughter was it's catalyst, even after all the pleading I did with Mr. Tassiter begging him to find another way to operate it. So, don't you goddamn dare tell me we lost a fortune, I know. I lost blood from that damn project.¨ Jack snapped. The aging executive trembled in his seat, and nodded nervously to his boss.
¨Anyway, cool, collected, happy thoughts. Breathe in, breathe out. Okay, I'm better. Happy faces all around, yadda yadda yadda. Now, the loss suffered today was indeed tragic. I can understand your frustration with the loss of Control Core Angel, but it would have been a detriment to keep around. choose to detonate the complex because, without a Siren to manage the Core, it was useless. The last thing any of us wanted was to let those child-killing bandits get ahold of that kind of technology. Secondly, I needed a window of escape. If I so much as moved an inch, I would have burned alive. I know, that sounds selfish. It was, and I regret nothing. In fact, I'd personally rip all of your windpipes from your barely living bodies and force feed them to you if it meant Sanctuary was blown to oblivion.¨ Jack ended his last sentence with his familiar, sadistically playful tone.
¨Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm about to do something I promised myself I'd never do. But, the situation is desperate. Bluntly, we're screwed and I have no other choice. So, for the time being, I distribute my power as CEO of Hyperion to this board of Executives.¨ The meeting went silent, the executives were shocked, in states of varying confusion.
¨B-but Jack! You're the face of Hyperion! Without you at its' helm, the bandits will take this and have a field day!¨ One of the members exclaimed. Jack took a drink from his cup of coffee, seemingly ignoring their point. He placed it back down on the table and sighed audibly.
¨That's why I have body doubles, people. Use your thick heads for once! Keep them active, and double their numbers if you have to. With any luck, the stupid savages won't be able to tell that I'm gone.¨ He spun around in his chair, until he faced the wide viewing window opposite of the holo screen.
¨While everything is being handled here, I'm going to go on a little trip. You see, when that relic we found on Elpis got into my head, it showed me a few things.¨ Jack rose from his seat, and strolled to the viewing port, staring out into the stars.
¨Out there, on a world only I know how to get to, there's a woman with unimaginable power. She holds the power to manipulate the very elements of existence. In fact, she's so strong, only The Warrior itself is a stronger singular being. I'm going to find her, show her the chaos and depravity Pandora is going through with this Crimson Raiders rebellion. She will be obligated to help quell it. With the help of the 'Avatar', Pandora will bow before me. More importantly, she's going to help me yank that damned city from the sky and make Lilith fuel the Vault Key for us.¨ His hands were held behind his back, and a smile from the reflective viewport made Jack's mood apparent to all.
"Uh, sir, why didn't you think to do this before now?" One of the executives spoke up.
"Because, I think leaving the company in your hands is, frankly, a death sentence. But, a dying Hyperion with a chance at revival is better than a Hyperion slowly drowning in bandit shit." He retorted. That was enough reason for them.
¨This meeting is adjourned. Oh, and if that vault is open before I get back, I'll have all of your heads put on a spike, roasted over a nice campfire, and fed to the goddamn Warrior. Ta-ta!¨ The holo screen disappeared back into the small terminal of light it had come from. With the onset of silence, Jack became lost in his thoughts.
I'm sorry, Angel. I'm sorry for everything. I couldn't save you, but I will avenge you, even if I have to burn Pandora into glass to make it happen.
Jack retreated from his personal cabin into the cockpit of his ship. He had to go on this journey alone. If anyone from Hyperion came with him, they'd be tempted to exert control over the Avatar's planet. Normally, Jack wouldn't see a problem with this, he'd even do it himself. But, Angel was dead, the Vault Key was gone, and Lilith was free to wreak havoc on Hyperion from the safety of her floating home. He couldn't afford any missteps this time. He'd have to play nice for once, and the very thought killed him a little inside.
He brushed his thoughts aside and made the final preparations for travel. As he input the coordinates for his destination, he withdrew a small tablet from a compartment in the floorboard. He waved his hand before it, and it came alive in blue-ish hue. The tablet was a journal he made shortly after he saw his visions. In it was all the information of the planet he could recall, from customs, trendy dress, traditions, language, and locations of major capitals. Funny enough, the language her world used was closely related to a subset of Mandarin Chinese found on earth. They even referred to their planet as earth, as well. FInally, dealing with pissed off foreign executives in his early days at Hyperion was going to pay off.
As Jack's ship sped away from the dusty surface of Pandora, he began sifting through the Journal. His first session of reading was dedicated to the Avatar and her personal life.
It never hurts to have backup plans, after all.
The trip was relatively short. Most ships took days to reach the outer depths of the galaxy. Lucky for Handsome Jack, he had already started from a border world, and he had a pretty fast ship to boot. The ship he was flying in was custom made; he had employed the finest engineers and scientists Hyperion had to offer to construct it. Jack had to pull from his own personal savings to fund it, as to keep away the prying eyes of Hyperion executives. As such, it was completely clean of Hyperion tracking and monitoring software, per his instruction.
It was a quaint little ship, about as big as any of the banged-up trailers that the red necked hicks lived out of in the Badlands. The personal quarters were lavished with all the comforts one could think of, but only the best was acceptable for Handsome Jack. The quarters led directly into a foyer-like compartment, which held both the airlock and the manual port that was used for entering and exiting on a planet's surface. The compartment then led into the cockpit, which sat opposite the personal quarters. It was a fairly standard cockpit, nothing flashy or special in the room. It was all business.
Once the ship's course had been set, Jack simply sat back as it guided itself to his intended destination. He read from his journal, making sure to refresh himself on all the information he had of the planet. It felt like a lifetime since he had thought about those specific visions, and he had almost completely forgot of its' existence. Though, he knew he would forget, which was why he made the journal in the first place.
Jack scanned through the logs. Tales of warriors who could move the earth with their might, ethereal spirits who became corrupted by an evil presence and grew increasingly violent, a shadowy secret organization assassinating the head of the powerful Earth Kingdom! To anyone else, these tales would be mind blowing, unbelievable even! But, Jack wasn't one for wonderment. They were more factual evidence than tales of excitement to him; pieces of a big puzzle that could be manipulated in his favor.
Soon, the planet itself came into view. Jack stored the journal back into its' compartment and took manual control of his ship and decreased its' speed to a crawl. He saw the massive continent that spanned most of the planet, Jack remembered that being the Earth Kingdom. A small, piercing yellow light shone from the surface. It towered high above the planet, then intersected with two separate beams of light that shot up from the planet's poles. The spirit portals, Jack thought. He remembered seeing two spirit portals in his visions, but this third, yellow one was news to him. Curious, Jack brought up the ship's long range telescopes. It took a while to zero in on the source of the beam. The geographical features he saw matched his description of Avatar Korra's residence, Republic City. But Jack was taken aback at what he saw near the source of the new beam.
Buildings and skyscrapers alike were collapsed in large heaps of rubble. Town hall, the police station, the Southern and Northern watertribe embassies, everything. It looked like nearly nothing had been spared by the desolation. The forest that surrounded the city had been blackened, leveled in a straight line by some unknown force. The statue of Korra's predecessor, Avatar Aang, looked mostly untouched, however.
Aside from the destruction, the city as a whole looked as bustling and busy as ever! People flooded the streets, their low-tech version of automobiles littered sidewalks, and construction equipment was already crowding around the most damaged of the city sections.
Jack finally observed the origin of the new pillar of light. Wreckage from a large metal mass was buried around the source, and a series of guard posts had been placed along the path to the center. Vines covered the ground, and much of the wreckage.
¨What the hell? What is this? It looks like a damn war zone down there. This wasn't in my visions!¨ Jack said to himself in disbelief. He thought quietly for a few minutes.
Then, he took control of the ship once more, and guided it down to the planet's surface, towards a heavily forested area north of the destruction.
Jack exited the forest, finding a dirt path that led in the direction of Republic City. It angered him to have to walk the entire way like some...savage, but the situation called for it. He couldn't risk drawing unneeded attention to himself, at least not without first finding the Avatar. The woods themselves were fairly eerie, blocking out almost all of the sunlight with its thick canopy. The trees stretched and twisted in morbid shapes, and reminded Jack of those old holo-vid horror movies he watched as a kid. Out of the corners of his eyes, Jack began to notice small balls of light float harmlessly near him. Their small light-green hues contrasted against the dark shapes of the hummed in his direction. Those must be the spirits that inhabit the forests, Jack thought. He had seen much about them in his visions, and remembered they were harmless when left unprovoked.
As he got closer to the city, the formless lights around him began to take shape. A few looked like small, leafy plants, while others looked more like vegetables. Unfortunately, their hums turned to whispers as well. They sounded like infant children muttering their first words.
Who is he? He looks scary. Was that his giant metal thingy I saw earlier?I saw him come from the sky. He has weird clothes. What's that thing on his face? They questioned quietly as he walked. Their quips were annoying sure, but harmless still. He hoped they would dissipate when he got to the outskirts of the city. But, much to Jack's dismay, their silent curiosity gradually turned to accusations.
He doesn't feel right. His aura is dark! He's seen so much suffering, I can feel it. He's a bad man. He has killed so many. What does he want from us? Jack found it harder and harder to ignore the menacing forms of light that now began to swirl around him. He noticed that their hues got significantly darker the closer they got to him. The Hyperion pistol slung to his hip began to look more and more enticing as the accusations grew in volume.
Hate! Anger! Pain! Evil! This man isn't nice! He kills for fun! He's worse than Vaatu! Their cries of evil penetrated Jack's mind. It was a whirlwind of accusations, and it was filling his head. He clutched his ears, vainly trying to keep their voices at bay. He fell to his knees, unable to go any farther. This morbid experience was only heightened by their shrill, childlike voices. They closed in on him, leaving him doubled over in pain as they circled him.
His mask grew hot. It was subtle at first, but it grew hotter and hotter, until it felt like the mask itself was searing his skin. It was like the mask was melting his face off and fusing to it. He ripped it off, painfully, and dropped it at his side. The burning sensation did not end. He clutched his face and felt that familiar scar, and it seemed to crawl along his face like an insect. The voices gasped, but continued their torment soon after.
Killer! Murderer! Tyrant! You don't care about anyone but yourself! That is the brand of a coward! Why hide behind a mask? What are you afraid of, monster? What you did to your daughter…, you're a terrible parent!
That was the last straw for Handsome Jack. Overcome by fury, he ripped his pistol from its' holster. He cut the air in half with his speedy draw, a sharp crack echoed through the woods. Jack took no hesitation, and unloaded his firearm mercilessly at the crowd of spirits that surrounded him. He hit a number of them with his first barrage of bullets. Those that were hit fell to the ground sloppily, and their friends shrieked in horror. Those that were not hit either carried their injured friends far away from Jack, or screamed in horror as they ran for their lives.
"I AM NOT A MONSTER! I AM A HERO, I AM THE GODDAMN HERO! DO YOU HEAR ME!? YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! I DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE, THEY WOULDN'T LET HER GO! SHE KILLED HER MOTHER, GODDAMNIT!" Jack screamed to the empty space around him. His pistol clicked as his magazine had been emptied, and he once again fell to his knees.
His face was scrunched in a fit of anger, and tears fell onto his mask. He looked around to critique his work. A few spirits lay before him, their friends had not been able to carry them to safety. Their forms faded subtly, their childlike cries long silent.
Those things...it felt like they were clawing their way into my head, seeing my life. What the hell, are all of the spirits here like that?
As Jack got to his feet, he saw that he stood in the middle of an archway. He was at the end of the path, and the spirit vines grew more and more scarce. The spirit vine archway shivered at his presence, like it saw what he had done to the spirits. His gaze shifted forward, as he saw a cement road that led deep into the ruined city before him. Finally! An actual road to his destination! Jack strutted out of the fleeting Spirit Wilds and onto the road. At least he wouldn't have to worry about more spirits harassing him.
Jack recovered his mask from his side, and studied it. Yes, it wasn't his true face. Yes, he hid the disfiguring scar by wearing it. The spirits probably thought of him as a coward, someone not willing to accept his past. They were wrong. He wore the mask not because he wanted to retain his good looks, but because his face was the one thing the bandits took from him that he could actually reclaim. His super weapon, his trust, his pride, his daughter; Lilith and her allies had taken and abused all of those things from Jack.
If Jack could keep any part of himself from being taken away by those savages, he'd see to it that he kept it.
Jinora woke from her meditation in a cold sweat. She gasped for air as she unfolded her legs and leaned back on her hands. Tenzin, Jinora's father, was meditating in the nearby gazebo. Hearing her rapid gasps and coughs, he quickly snapped out of his own meditative state. He ran to Jinora's side, holding her up with his arm.
"Jinora, sweetie, what is it? What happened?" Tenzin asked, alarmed at his daughter's state. Jinora took a second to catch her breath while her father cradled her.
"Something...something isn't right. The spirits, the ones in the Wilds. They're...afraid of something."
Tenzin silently ran over her statement in his head, still confused. "Afraid of what, exactly?"
"I don't know. Whatever it is, I think it just attacked a crowd of them on the outskirts of the city. Goodness, I don't think I've sensed a presence this evil and strong since Vaatu. It was something else, dad."
The news took Tenzin aback. An evil presence in Republic City? Stronger than Vaatu?
"This is alarming, to say the least. Jinora, I'm going to have a few airbenders patrol the outskirts of the city. I need you to go into the spirit world and find Korra. Last I saw, her and Asami were headed to the portal, something about a vacation, I think. If this presence is as strong as Vaatu, we need Korra here and here soon. We wouldn't stand a chance without her."
Jinora nodded in agreement with her father, and after taking a few seconds to calm herself from her previous session, she used her unique gift and began to astrally project herself in the spirit world.
Tenzin walked out of the gazebo and towards the central building. As he went to collect a few benders for patrol duty, he hoped Jinora would be swift in locating Korra.
Jack followed the road into Republic City. It was just as busy and populated as he had seen from orbit. Everyone looked like they had a place to go, some sort of job to do. Jack felt a ping of envy deep inside. He envied this city, he wished Opportunity would someday mirror it's bustling populace.
He made his way through the city, past Avatar Korra park and the ruins of the old 'Future Industries' skyscraper. Local businesses were few and far between, but those that existed were swimming in customers. Clothes stores were packed, restaurants were plum full, and groceries were nearly overrun.
Jack made his way to the piers. Oddly, they were under armed guard by a few metalbending police. A series of metal cables, pulleys and a raft set up between the pier and Air Temple Island made their purpose apparent. With the police headquarters destroyed, it made sense that the higher ups would need a new place to crash until they got a new one. The raft ferryed a couple important looking police officers across the bay to the island. It gave Jack an idea.
He walked up to the two officers guarding the pier that the raft was attached to. While before they aimlessly scanned the city's skyline (or lack thereof), Jack's presence snapped them to attention. They wore the traditional garbs of policemen in Republic City, but their demeanor stated otherwise.
"Halt! This ferry is to be used by RCPD employees and affiliates only. No citizen is allowed to cross over to the island at this time" The more buff of the two officers said in an alarmed tone. The smaller one nodded his head, and pointed for Jack to walk away.
Good thing Jack thought fast on his feet. If his time at Hyperion taught him anything, it was that grunts were terrified of disgruntled superiors. And, as fate would have it, Jack knew that police chief Lin Beifong was the last person anyone in this city would want to upset.
"Excuse me? Do you two know who I am? I'm the director and CEO of the Hyperion construction corporation. I have official business with Lin Beifong." At the mention of Lin's name, the two guards froze up. Good, Jack had them right where he needed them.
"Um, the Chief didn't mention anything about a high class CEO visiting. Maybe we should check with he-" The smaller guard began, but Jack quickly cut him off.
"You're right, she probably didn't tell you, the same way she doesn't tell you how to tie your shoes or how to put your right foot in front of the left one to walk. Look, rockheads, I've got a very busy day ahead of me, and I'd rather it not be wasted talking to a bunch of morons with tin cans around their wrists. I've already set aside a bunch of meetings as it is to get an audience with Chief Beifong, so excuse me if I don't have a wide smile plastered on my face when two nobodies hold me up. If you keep me from her for so much as a second more, I'll withdraw Hyperion support for the reconstruction of Republic City and be on my merry way. I doubt she'll like to hear that. She'll probably shove those metal cables up your asses and tie them together in a knot." Jack threatened menacingly. At that moment, the ferry returned to the edge of the dock. The two guards were practically tripping over each other apologizing to Jack. They parted, revealing the way to the raft. Jack strolled onto it without a hinge. It was funny watching the guards bend the metal cables unusually fast, as not to upset him further. Try as he could, Jack couldn't suppress a snicker as he was guided to the shore of the island.
That was one thing Jack loved about being the head of Hyperion; making low-level employees shit their pants was often the highlight of his day.
The raft impacted the dock of Air Temple Island with a loud, hollow *clunk*. The police had obviously been busy, as green tents and metal boxes of supplies were scattered across the open space of the island. As Jack walked the length of the dock and onto the main portion of the island, politicians and police officers of all shapes and sizes brushed past him. Most wore robes of dark red, and had numerous servants accompanying them. Others were more reserved, carrying their documents and personal artifacts themselves.
Jack walked through the maze of tents and supplies, until he spotted an unusually high-pitched tent near the entrance of the main temple. Something about that tent just screams 'I am more important than you, and I could do your job ten times better with my eyes closed'. Heh, must be Lin's. Jack thought.
As he approached the tent, he noticed that Lin was not swamped with paperwork and politics as he expected. Instead, she sat at a plain, mahogany desk, conversing with someone in an arm-sling who stood to the right of her. Hm, he looks familiar. Could be Mako, the Avatar's former main squeeze, but he's missing that cool scarf, and his hair is too stupid-looking. The closer he got to the tent, the more of their conversation he overheard.
...is a real problem, ma'am. The Triple Threat Triads aren't going to turn down the opportunity to operate in the city ruins. We need to stretch a few patrols out there, or else they're going to get cocky. Cocky mobsters are the last thing the city needs right now." The man said.
Well, that's Mako's voice, I'll be damned. Dear god, what happened to his hair?
"Your concern is noted, detective. But, until we receive the foreign aid president Riko promised, I'm afraid we'll have to leave them be. We simply don't have the manpower." The Chief responded in a slightly disgusted tone. She rose from her chair, and turned her back to Mako and the approaching Handsome Jack.
"Damn Raiko, how long does it take to schedule a meeting with the Fire Lord? She was available by the drop of a pen before…" She trailed off, before striking an alerted stance.
"You! Man outside the tent! State your business, I'm not scheduled for a meeting today." She yelled. Lin was a commanding woman, that much was certain. Jack was surprised she could tell where he was without so much as a glance.
"How did you...oh right, that crazy seismic sense thing you got from your mom. That's just not fair." Jack complained, coming into the doorway of the tent. Mako turned around to face Jack, and ignited his free fist to show they were not playing around.
"You heard her, what are you doing here?" He asked.
Jack raised his hands in the air, but still walked as casual as ever. "Woah, woah! Simmer down, hot shot. No need to get all...on fire, and stuff."
Jack walked to the front of Lin's desk, Mako tracking his every step with his blazing fist.
"Anyway, yeah. I'm here to ask Ms. Beifong a few questions regarding the state of the city. I'm on a very important business trip right now, and I'd like to know why the city architects have such a hard on for this new 'destroyed' look." His sarcasm was abundant. Lin didn't take kindly to that.
"You're lucky I don't shove these cables down your throat. Mako, arrest this man for trespassing on Police HQ grounds." Before he could move a muscle, Jack offered a retort.
"'Police HQ grounds'? You guys set up camp on a hippie reserve, this isn't 'HQ' material. Do you even have a jail? Look, all I need to know is how the city ended up like this, why there's a light show in the center of town, and, most importantly, where I can find the Avatar."
Lin grumbled to herself as she took her seat once more. "Fine, it'd be more trouble to lock you up, anyway. Mako, relax." She said. Mako followed her orders, and extinguished his fist.
"A giant robot? Really? Man, that sounds badass! Wish I could have seen it in person." Jack exclaimed. His company was obviously not tolerating of his seeming immaturity.
"I can't believe you didn't hear of this already. It's been global news all week. All the nations are talking about it." Mako said.
"Well, let's just say I've been out of the loop for a bit. That's my first two questions answered, then where is the Avatar? Is she here?" He asked.
Lin's face scrunched in suspicion. "Why do you need to see the Avatar?"
"I have a business proposition for her. My company has run into a few 'snags' in our construction project. Apparently, a few bloodthirsty psychos think it's funny to blow up everything I own. I promise to pay handsomely for her time." Jack explained. Mako didn't seem too trusting of Jack's motives, however.
"What psychos? And what company is it that you run, exactly?" He questioned. Jack froze for a split second, unsure of what to say. Then, he brushed off his sudden shock with a few short-breathed laughs. He held his arm out and wagged a finger at Mako.
"Nah ah ah, can't say. Trade secret. Those details are between me and my future employee, but I promise you, we can pay. In fact, I might be willing to extend this contract to her close friends if they're willing to help me find her." He replied. Mako seemed hesitant to continue talking to Jack. He had been on the streets almost his whole life, and if he learned one thing, it was that honesty is more common between thieves than businessmen. And everything about this man screamed businessman.
"Okay, sure. What's your name, Mr. Businessman?" He asked. If the tent were pitch black, the light in Jack's eyes from hearing that question would have blinded them. He cleared his throat, as if he had recited his introduction before.
"My name is Handsome Jack; Supercool Hero! I'm the director and CEO of the Hyperion Corporation, a ladies man, a technological genius, and a multi-trillionaire playboy. I'm who you WISH you could be, pilot light." Mako chuckled at his introduction, and Lin gave a muffled snort as well.
"Multi-trillionaire? Oh please, if anything is that rich, it's that terrible lie. I've never heard of this 'Hyperion' business. I don't trust liars, especially people who lie to my friends. It sounds to me like you're just some loser pretending to be rich to abuse the Avatar's trust." He said. Jack furrowed his brow in anger.
"And it sounds to me that your parents never taught you any manners, kid. What, did daddy and mommy not give you enough hugs? Or, maybe they were upset they never got the daughter they wanted." Jack responded in a childlike voice, knowing that the mention of his parents would get under the young firebender's skin. Mako reacted just as predicted, and struck a stance beside Jack.
"Leave my parents out of this!"
"Or, better yet, maybe you're mad all of your relationships ended with you being called an asshat."
"Hey, wait, how do you-"
"Are you kidding? I don't pay attention to many people's personal lives, but yours is just so freaking hilarious! Korra? Crash and burn. The Sato chick? Crash and burn. Hey, have you ever looked into becoming a crazy cat lady?"
¨Big talk coming from a freak with a sheet of ugly metal on his face!¨
¨Big talk coming from a freak with a sheet of ugly skin on his face!¨
A loud smack interrupted their argument.
"Enough of the petty squabble!¨ Lin yelled at her unruly guests. She pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. ¨'Mr. Handsome Jack', or whatever your surname is. As ludicrous as your story sounds, regardless if it's true or not, I'm afraid we don't even know where the Avatar is. She's been gone for a while. A few days ago, she left without a word, didn't talk to me, her master, or anyone. She only left a note that said she was going to take a small vacation in the spirit world. Believe me, if I did know where she was, I'd put her to work immediately."
Dissatisfaction was clear on Jack's face. His hands balled into fists, and he put them at his waist.
"Well, great. That's just perfect. Chief Beifong, thank you for your time, even if you didn't help me find the Avatar. But, if you don't know where she is, then who would? I have to speak to her immediately. The more time I waste here, the more likely my company won't exist when I return!" Finally, anything to get this jerk off of her back.
"You're welcome, Mr. Jack. As it so happens, Tenzin's daughter, Jinora, has the special ability to sense someone's spiritual energy. Or, atleast I think so. Never was one for that spirit mumbo jumbo. I asked her to look for Korra in the spirit world so I could get her to work here, but Tenzin forbade it. He said it was important that Korra get her rest. But, if you can convince him that your matter is urgent, he'd probably send for her. As far as that goes, however, I can be of no more help.¨
Jack scratched his chin in thought. ¨Yes, I think I'll go pay him a visit. And believe you me, this is an urgent matter.¨
"And wouldn't you know it, the Pai-Sho piece was up my sleeve the entire time! Ha!" Iroh chuckled. The old man sat at a picnic table, not far from his snug, cozy cabin in the spirit world. The table was set with mounds of yummy biscuits, alongside a large pot of steaming tea and a set of cups for dipping. Across from him sat Avatar Korra, his longtime friend, and her friend Asami. They joined in with his laughter as the scent of warm tea flooded the air.
"Man, I'd have loved to have seen Zuko's face when you showed him! He must have been mad!" Korra said, her arm reaching over the table for another biscuit.
"Oh, he was, but my nephew could never stay mad at me for long. It's surprising, really, how the shortest path to a person's heart is in a good cup of tea! Speaking of which, Korra, would you like another cup?" He asked, looking down at Korra's bone dry teacup.
"Don't worry, Iroh, I'll get it! You've already done far too much on our part." Asami spoke up. She reached out over the table and collected the teapot.
¨You're far too kind yourself, Ms. Sato. Korra spoke very highly of you in her past visits. You sound like a true companion.¨
As Asami poured the tea, Korra turned to her with a questioning look on her face. Asami, knowing full-well what Korra was asking to do, nodded in approval.
"Actually, Iroh, she isn't just a companion. I've had a rough time these past few years, and Asami and I have been talking, and...well...we decided we really like each other." Korra said anxiously. Iroh was a loving, gentle old man, but Korra was still anxious as to how others would react to hers and Asami's new relationship. Perplexingly, Iroh started laughing.
"Ohohoho. Korra my dear, you do not decide that you like someone. In fact, you have no control over it. Destiny has a very finicky way of working things out. Sometimes, those that will end up the closest to you will start out very far away."
"So, you're okay with our relationship?" Asami asked after filling Korra's cup. The kind man waved his hand in front of him.
"To me, there can be no objection towards two people that love each other. What I said is true; Korra speaks very highly of you. And, to be comforting to someone in their darkest times, that shows something more than general compassion. It shows concern. So, as best as I can tell, you two love each other very much. That is all that matters." He said. A sparkle of excitement showed in Korra's eyes.
"Really? Thank you so much, Iroh. I had no idea how someone would rea-"
"Do not get excited, Avatar Korra. Much of the world does not share my way of looking at things. Just because an old man in the spirit world is accepting of your love, it does not mean everyone else will." Korra felt a spark of electricity shoot up her spine.
"Yes, sorry. We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves."
"But, it also doesn't mean you should feel hesitant to show your love. In the end, it's what you two make of this relationship that will determine how it developes."
Asami and Korra nodded in unison, and placed their conjoined hands on top of the table. They had been holding hands the entire time.
"See? It is as it should be, now. But, Korra, give an old, weathered man an opportunity to congratulate you." He stood up from his seat, his green robes hanging from his shoulders. He outstretched his arms in Korra's and Asami's direction, inviting them into a hug. They obliged, rose from their seat, walked around the table, and embraced Iroh.
"Korra? Asami?" A small voice called toward them from behind their display of affection. Korra and Asami released from the embrace and turned towards the voice's source to find an astral projection of Jinora hanging in the air. The blue glow of her person illuminated them.
"Jinora? What are you doing here?" Korra asked.
"I don't have much time to explain. There was a huge...spiritual event today, somewhere on the outside of the city. Something attacked a bunch of spirits in the Wilds. I know you said you wanted to be left alone for your vacation, but I felt something today. Something really dark and powerful, more so than Vaatu. We don't know what it is, but dad said we'd need your help." She explained. Korra looked over to Asami and Iroh.
"Sorry, Asami, but we're going to have to cut the vacation short."
Asami nodded understandingly, and after a few thank-yous to Iroh, the duo left for the new spirit portal, guided by Jinora.
Handsome Jack angrily walked the streets of the dilapidated inner city. Rubble and scorched earth lined the sidewalks. This whole day has been a bunch of skag shit. He thought to himself. Upon entrance to Air Temple Island's main complex, he had been told by a begrudging Pema that Tenzin was nowhere to be found. She said he had mumbled something about Korra and Jinora being sent to find her, grabbed a few Air Acolytes, and stormed off. To top it off, Tenzin's daughter was practically comatose. Jack had tried everything to wake the girl from her meditation; screaming, shaking, emulating Pema's voice with his modulator, but every idea was a bust. According to her mother, there was no telling how long Jinora would be in that state. She explained something about 'Astral Projection' or some hippy-dippy crap along those lines in the wake of Jack's upset mood. Apparently, Jinora was on a mission to find Korra in the Spirit World and have her return to the city. With his last lead on the Avatar prancing about in fairy world, Jack had no choice but to wait for Jinora to find Avatar Korra. So, rather than sulk around the island, (which he was convinced he was not welcome to) Jack explored the deeper parts of Republic CIty.
To no surprise, he found that, like all cities, Republic City had a dark underbelly. It seemed that the Police Department was spread so thin on organizing the slow development of the outer city and the gradual return of its' citizens that they had no man to spare to keep an eye on the seedier, more overgrown inner city. Dark cubby holes in collapsed buildings were prevalent, and inside hid some questionable people. Pickpockets, gang members, thugs, savages of the like that Jack couldn't stand. They were scattered around, some limp in piles of old newspaper, some huddling together in tattered clothes and makeshift camps. The attack clearly hadn't been kind to the criminal underworld. As much as he hated being around such scum, knowledge of the area could prove invaluable in certain situations.
As Jack walked through the empty streets, he felt the unavoidable sense of being followed. Jack barely turned his head, only far enough to make out a few dark figures in the corner of his eyes. He knew how these savages worked; they liked their prey unaware of their impending death. Thankfully, they were also very stupid, and the element of surprise was gained fairly easily with them. So long as Jack pretended nothing was out of the ordinary, the crooks approaching from his behind would be cocky.
Cocky bandits were dead bandits.
Jack skipped over a few fallen lightposts and into the front of a large, collapsed skyscraper. The insignia of Future Industries lay scratched and obstructed in a large pile of rubble. On either side of him were stretches of pavement that led to detached buildings that blocked the streets with their ruin. He was boxed in against his would-be pursuers. Excellent.
¨Hey, fancy pants! What's a suave lookin' big shot like you doin in a place like this?¨ A gruff voice yelled from his rear. Good god, they guy sounds like he just smoked a carton of cigarettes all at once. Jack slowly turned around to face the voice. Not twenty feet away from him stood six men, all ruggedly dressed in torn clothes that bore the same symbol. The symbol of the Triple Threat Triad.
The man who had shouted at him was a slightly short man, coming up to Jack's shoulders. He had a shaved head, which connected into a pair of muttonchops. A discolored scar spanned across his right eye, most likely from a knife fight or a sharp shard of earth. By the way he walked in front of the others, Jack could guess he was the lead man.
¨Oh, just out for a quick walk! I figured a quick trip to the pig pens would help clear my mind.¨ Jack responded, his hands clasped together in a condescending manner. The lead thug snorted and spat at him.
¨If it's a clear head you were wanting, me and my boys are more than happy to oblige. And just because I like ya, I'll take that fancy watch chain off yer hands. Would make for a bag of yuans better than it would an ugly accessory.¨ They began to step forward, but Jack folded his arms across his chest as they moved. A subtle grin crawled on his face.
¨Yeah, and what the hell is with your face? Your mug so ugly you had to graft a sheet of metal to it? Ha!¨ One of the bandits mocked. Jack laughed with him, causing the bandit to contort his face in confusion.
¨You know, I'm going to enjoy this. A lot." The six bandits stared at him in confusion, then in shock as Jack slowly disappeared from view.
"What the…where did he go?" One of the grunts asked in a low, but still noticeably shaky voice. The group of men gathered in their fighting stances. Jack snuck creepily around them. Judging by the way they stood, Jack counted two firebenders, three earthbenders, and a waterbender.
Stupid savages. They've never seen anything like this. Time to blow some minds!
Jack decloaked behind one of the shorter, more stout earthbender bandits. None of them had heard him decloak, and in traditional Handsome Jack style, he decided to have a bit of fun with that. He withdrew his pistol from the holster, and one handedly shot the dwarfed bender in the back of both of his kneecaps while placing him in a chokehold. The crew jumped like skags put to a cattle prod, scarily unfamiliar with the sound of a gunshot. The bender yelped in pain and Jack pushed him to the ground, where he clutched his legs while lying in the fetal position. As smarmy as ever, Jack politely waved at the horrified onlooking bandits, then cloaked once more.
"Joung! Spirits, what on earth was that!?" One of the others, a firebender, panicked loudly. The leader, whose face had previously been filled with smug ignorance, was now filled with pure horror.
"Xian, get over to him. What the hell are you?" He screamed into the air, not focusing in any direction. Jack silently snickered as he fiddled with his gauntlets, hiding behind a piece of rubble to hide him as he decloaked. He raised over his cover, pointed his wrist at a spot close to the anxious bandit leader, then tapped the screen.
A light blue digi-construct appeared next to the leader. As it was assembled, the man turned to look on in horror, and fell on his rear. He kicked and crawled away from the phenomenon, but the construct walked slowly and tauntingly towards him. As the last pieces were assembled, the construct was revealed to be a blue hologram of Handsome Jack himself. It bowed toward the scarred, soggy pantsed bandit, arms outstretched like he were facing an applauding crowd.
"I'm Handsome Jack, and I am the goddamn hero." It said calmly, then laughed maniacally as it dissipated back into thin air. The lead bandit sat speechless against a wrecked Satomobile, and his three remaining able-bodied men were about ten feet away, with one tending to the crippled earthbender farther away. Perfect.
Jack tapped the side of his holster, and within seconds, a corrosion grenade was digi-constructed into his right hand. This type of grenade had been specifically designed for Jack, and it's unique baseball-esque look proved as much. He pressed a small button on the underside of the grenade, and it began to emit a low hum.
Jack tossed the live grenade in a high arc over his cover and at his target; the trio of shakily frightened bandits that stood in plain view of the lead bandit. One of the bandits was unfortunate enough to notice the green, low buzzing ball hurdling towards the group near the end of it's trip. He had barely enough time to yelp in terror before the grenade landed dead center in the trio, detonating instantly.
The lead bandit had a front row seat to the most horrible display of violence he (and probably this whole planet) had ever seen. The blast itself was explosive, and sent a few small body parts flying from the epicenter. But, that wasn't what was so horrifying. The blast had sent forth a wave of bubbling matte green liquid. The substance drenched the three, doing nothing for a split second. It quickly went to work, however, as one of the bandits raised his arm and discovered that the liquid was swiftly melting his skin. They screamed and yelled, crying out to their leader for help. Their cries fell on deaf ears, as the lead bandit was frozen in fear at the ungodly sight before him.
They rubbed at their limbs, frantically attempting to wipe the corrosion off of themselves. Their efforts only helped to hasten the process, as they soon began to wipe away their very layers of skin. Their heads had been burnt bald, with their scalps becoming flakey and bloody. The corrosion dripped into their eyes, and soon made empty sockets out of them. Their eyeballs oozed out of their skulls as the corrosion worked its magic.
The bandit that had been sent to help the earthbender, Xian, looked on briefly, in the same amount of horror as his leader. But, his friend's gaping wounds quickly reeled him back to the situation at hand, and threw his fellow bandit over his shoulder and ran off.
Jack spectated their terror, arms crossed and smile shining brightly against the fading sunlight of dusk. He allowed the two bandits to scuttle in an escape. Undoubtedly, they'd go to their superiors in the TTT and spin the tale of what kind of cruelty really happened here. Handsome Jack wouldn't mind if his terror spread.
As their bones started to show through their greening, decaying flesh, they made their last conscious efforts to plead for help. They squeaked and gurgled, their throats now incapable of speech. The three finally raised their bony hands toward their leader before collapsing into a pile of melting flesh and bone.
¨SPIRITS, NO! Oh, goodness, no!¨. That was all the man could muster as the watery fluids of his fellow brothers washed to his feet.
Coming at him from the side, Jack lifted the delirious man off of his rear by his neck. The man struggled and kicked wildly. He gripped Jack's wrist, desperate to free himself from the death-grip.
¨G-g-get your hands off me, freak!¨ He yelled. Fear welled within his eyes, and hot tears started streaming down his face. Jack laughed at his feigned braveness, and held him close to his face.
¨Okay, sure. But on one...condition.¨ He said, nearly whispered, to the panicking thug.
¨W-what?¨ Jack held the man out at arm's length with one hand, while he withdrew his pistol with the other. The man cried wildly.
¨Nonononononono, pleas-AHHHHH!¨ Jack had taken his pistol to both of the man's kneecaps and pulled the trigger. The sound of bones shattering and muscle tissue being skinned from the femur deafened Jack's helpless victim. The pistol shot had been so strong, it had literally tore a hole straight through the man's legs. Blood squirted from the open wound, and tiny shards of his kneecaps stuck to Jack's coat, glued there by his blood.
¨I get to do that.¨ Jack said, relishing the man's pain.
¨My legs! My legs! Oh, spirits, I can't feel my legs!¨ He yelled.
¨Are you sure? You can't feel them at all? Even a little bit? I mean, if you do, I'd be glad to shoot them again for good measure.¨ Jack's cruel smile shone brighter than ever.
¨You psycho! Get away from me!¨ The man's struggles were even more desperate and frantic. Jack laughed.
¨Sorry, no can do. See, bandit, you've got a very special job. I need you to pretend to be as cute and cuddly as you can.¨ Jack said casually. The man was more than a little confused.
¨Wh-what?¨
With his free arm, Jack pointed towards the bay area of the city.
¨Because there's a super special girl out there I really want to know better, and you're going to be her lovely present. So, shut up, and be the best goddamn Teddy Bear that you can be.¨