Authors note: I recently played the in-game story-line relating to the fate of Mordecai and his relationship to Bloodwing. So: Spoilers. And more than that; I hate the in-game ending so much I had to write a fanfic to re-imagine it. Oh and I rarely play Kreig, so I have seriously re-imagined his "other voice". As for details of the Arena fight with Bloodwing; again, liberties. Ooops.

Standard disclaimer: I do not own Borderlands 2, any of it's characters, or any of the other wondrous creations of Gearbox Software, 2K Games or Iron Galaxy Software. However I certainly lay claim to misspellings, mistakes, tweaks, spells and characters of my own creation, and any re-characterization you may notice.

-In The Arena-

Jack's comment played in Gaige's head. Somewhere more dramatic. God the jerk liked an audience. Rather like Marcie in that respect. And ungodly rich. Also like Marcie. As the group crowded into the freight elevator and started downward, the mechromancer ran her hands over the various items hanging from her belt.

Holsters for her pistols; both the bandit-red semi-automatic electro pistol she preferred and the vladof slag-pistol she'd recently acquired from a Hyperion engineer who had made the unwise and quickly fatal choice to face off with Deathtrap.

Hanging farther back on her belt, a little more effort to reach then her guns, were a few shields. Her active shield was the one 1340 had been installed into. It was a powerful Vladof shield with a thicker-than-normal energy field that (sometimes) could intercept and store incoming ordinance. She also had a couple back-ups, again obtained when their former owners died abruptly. One was an odd little Torgue number that wasn't very powerful and had a slow and annoying recharge, but rendered the wearer almost immune to explosive damage. Unfortunately it was kind of crappy against regular gunfire.

Her final "spare" shield was a Maliwan fire nova shield; it was most of the reason that Incinerator Clayton had maintained the fear and awe of his followers for so long. When active, the wearer could damn near stand in the middle of a bonfire, or possibly ride a Flame Scag (though the spikes of their hide would make for incredibly uncomfortable seating). If enough damage was done to the shield by other means, it would blast anyone nearby with a triple wash of flame. It was functional and dramatic.

As the elevator carried them downward, Axton raised an eyebrow, watching her. "So, shortstack, think you have enough equipment yet?"

Gaige smiled at him, shrugging to indicate the slender rocket launcher she had hitched over her shoulder. "Still hoping for a Rocket Launcher that will shoot electro ammo."

"Regular ordinance not being enough for you?" Axton's voice was affectionately chiding.

The mechromancer made a sarcastic sound. "Please. Why shoot regular bullets when you could be … setting someone on fire?"

Beside them, Maya flexed the fingers of her left hand. "She does have a point."

"Or in your case," Gaige nodded respectfully, indicating the tattoos that decorated the Siren's left side. "You could simultaneously levitate, compress and melt them."

Maya smiled. "I've always preferred a well-rounded approach to things."

"What ever happened to shy, demure women that needed a strong man to rescue them?" Axton inquired of no one in particular.

Kreig revved his buzz axe. "GLOWING DEATH IS THE SMELL OF SEX!"

Axton muttered "…what?"

Maya completely failed to keep a straight face. "Keep dreaming, soldier."

Gaige put in "Or stop reading those trashy Hodunk romance novels."

Axton blushed, Maya snickered, and the freight elevator came to a grinding halt. The doors opened and the soldier stepped quickly forward, hefting his assault rifle.

They stepped forward cautiously into an open area that was mostly cleared of supplies, robots, everything. The overall shape of it was oval. Gaige estimated it was about the size of a soccer field. On the ground on the far side was a slightly sunken platform with two panels visible. She wasn't sure what it was for. Some sort of landing site? Launching pad?

The all too familiar and annoying voice of Handsome Jack rang out over the arena. "Want Bloodwing back, huh? Shame - I've been doing some really interesting Eridium experiments with her. Hate to see her go, but heck with it - She's all yours."

There was a mechanical grinding sound and the two panels at the far end of the field? Loading area? Landing pad? Anyway they split slowly open.

Axton motioned Gaige to the left, and he crept forward keeping to the right.

Rising up from underneath where the panels had been, came the familiar silhouette of Mordecai's avian companion. Except …. Except it was too big. She was too big, and darker. She stood at least a good seven feet tall.

And as the platform finished rising, it became obvious that she was not just darker, but an ominous looking deep violet color. Eridium? No, thought Gaige...the color of slag.

Bloodwing gave a deafening shriek and spread her wings, leaping into flight and sending a blast of wind in all directions. She arrowed upward. Hundreds of times Gaige had watched Rakks circle or attack, and they were persistent, but somewhat clumsy fliers. Bloodwing rode the wind and circled, wings outstretched, using the barest tilt of her wingtips and tail to change direction.

"Madre de Dios…" Mordecai's voice was hushed.

Across the bottom of Gaige's field of vision, scrolling text spelled out: "Translation failure. Angry/pain…indecipherable." Her jaw dropped. In all the times that Mordecai had invited Bloodwing's comments during his ECHO casts, the mechromancer's babbletalk translation app hadn't ever been triggered.

Gaige stared up at the majestic creature. A glint at Bloodwing's neck drew the her attention. Around Bloodwing's neck was a collar. Gaige frowned thoughtfully. Mordecai had said that the chip was on her collar. Her original collar had been a leather one. The thing she wore now was a metallic circlet. Still, the tag that hung from it looked the same. Which pretty much meant nothing, at this distance.

Well, given that Handsome Jack was a really clever, really manipulative bastard, it probably did mean something.

The howls of several greenish yellow scags, entering from a small door near Axton interrupted Gaige's train of thought.

"Perhaps you'd like to meet the Missus?" Axton's voice was cheerful as he threw down the digi-template of his turret with his left hand and hefted his assault rifle in his right.

For just a moment Gaige thought he might be over-reacting. After all, the team had faced scag packs before. And weren't they just Jack's version of a distraction?

Then she heard the distinctive sound of surveyors approaching.

"THE FLEAS COME TO RIDE THE METALLIC DANCERS" Kreig's shout was enthusiastic.

Maya and Gaige spoke together. "Shit."