XY:A:S4

Chapter 3

By B1ockh3d & Aeroxx1337

I put my armor back on, figuring the next person I meet was probably not going to be as nice as these two. Aero helped me into the back of the truck, and Pax drove to this small house with some sort of console that had an antenna sticking out of it.

Pax helped me out and lead me to this console, "This is a New-U station. You need to register yourself in this thing or you'll actually die when someone inevitably turns your skull into a tacky hood ornament."

"Or use the fast travel." Aero added.

I walked up to the machine, and the thing pricked my thumb, "Ow!"

"Great! You're registered." Pax sighed in relief, "Now, let's go to Sanctuary."

We all piled back into the vehicle and Aero drove the last leg of the journey to another console with a holographic orb with the words "Fast Travel." Pax went to this console; and the next thing I know, I am in a room with a golden chest at the other end.

"Okay, let's get you a shield and a couple weapons for you first." Aero advised. Pax nodded in agreement, and they took me to a knocked over machine that had "Dr. Zed Meds and etc." pasted on it. Pax placed his hand on it and started flicking his hand through the air for some reason. Eventually he stopped and pulled a weird multi-colored... something or other out of his leg.

"This shield should protect you from just about anything. It also shocks anyone who tries to punch you." Pax explained.

I took the device and examined it, turning it over a few times in my hand, "How do I use it?"

Aero sighed, snatched it from my hands, and clipped it on the back of my belt. Then I heard a click, followed by a light whirring sound. "Like that."

"Oh! We should head down to Crazy Earl and get you a backpack SDU." Pax suggested.

"Lot of good it'll do, with how small the damn things are." Aero mumbled, and they guided me down the street to a small building with a purple neon sign reading "Hostel."

"Oh! Before you knock, here," Pax handed me twelve bars of a glowing purple material, "Earl only accepts Eridium as payment. Ask for a backpack and an upgrade."

I took the heavy bars from him, but only barely, "Oof… Why does he not… Accept anything… Lighter?" I pant.

"Normally you just stick it in the inexplicably infinite money slot of a backpack SDU, but you don't have one yet." Pax explained, "Why the thing can hold unlimited amounts of 5 pound ingots but only 27 pistols is beyond me."

I redirected my attention to the door, and I kicked it to knock. A strip of metal slid open and a pair eyes peered out at me.

"Whachu want, chump?!" Earl spat.

I shoved all the Eridium through a slot in the door, "A backpack with an upgrade, please."

He shoved a container-thing out the slot, which I clipped on the back of my belt.

"Sucka!" he chuckled as he closed the slot.

I turned to Pax and Aero, "Uhm… Was I ripped off?"

"No, no. He always does that." Pax answered.

Pax pulled out a shotgun from behind him; it was green, with a black and yellow checkerboard pattern on it, with the word TORGUE inscribed above the trigger, "As you can tell, it's a shotgun. It deals explosive damage, and it does 58 damage times 4. So, 232 damage, provided all the bullets hit."

"…How do you know so much about that specific gun?" I asked.

"…Oh! Dammit! We need to get you an ECHO device too." Pax realized, "…Alright. We'll get you one after we go meet up with Maya and Lilith."

"Yeah… Who are they exactly?" I inquired.

"…You'll see." Aero promises.


They pulled me around the corner to the Crimson Raider base. As I entered the room I saw a woman wearing goggles on her head, apparently doing something important with two eggplants connected to a battery and a radio.

Pax nudged me, "That's Patricia Tannis. She's… different."

"Wait here. Don't agree to do anything she asks you to, it's more convenient if you still have both of your eyeballs." Aero advised as they both went upstairs.

I looked over at Tannis, who was attempting to attach the battery to the radio using a rusty crochet needle and what looked like a human foot. Confused and curious, I decided to find out what the hell she was doing, "Uhh… Tannis, correct?"

"Not now! I'm busy recording Travis and Kimberly!" She snapped at me, without breaking concentration on her Eggplants.

Alright… I will humor her. I leaned toward the Eggplants, pretended to listen closely, and whispered, "What are they saying?"

"They're arguing. Apparently, Kimberly caught Travis in a cheese dip with a pickle!" Tannis answered, casually removing the pinkie toe from the foot and sticking it in the battery socket of the radio.

I backed up awkwardly, "Oh… I certainly hope they sort it out." I silently noded, and wait for Pax and Aero.


"Brick, where's Maya and Lilith?" Pax asked.

"Lilith went on some 'secret investigation' and Axton went with her. I'm pretty sure they just wanted to go blow stuff up without me, the bastards. Maya had to go to the Dust to get some parts." Brick answered, "Why?"

"Can you call them back?" Aero quickly asked, "It's important that they get back right now!"

Brick crossed his arms, "Can it wait?"

"They won't want to wait, once they hear about it." Pax explained.

"Well what the hell is it?" Brick demanded.

Pax ran over to the stairs, "Aphyx! Get up here!"


I ran upstairs and saw a hulking mass of flesh looming in the command room, "Y… Yes?"

"This is our reason, Brick." Aero pointed to me. Brick looked unimpressed.

"What's so special about him that I have to call off a secret mission and stop repairs to Sanctuary?" Brick asked.

Aero gestured to me to take off my armor, "Oh… Uh… Right." I took my armor off to show the glowing symbols going up and down my left side.

Brick looked at the marks, "You're right. That's a damn good reason." He went over to a computer, "Maya, get back to Sanctuary. There's someone here you're gonna wanna meet."

"Alright." Maya answered back.