"'Rid Rum is a refreshing drink of the violet variety! Rid yourself of worries with Maliwan 'Rid Rum! (Made with artificial sugarcane.)"

"Gimme four doubles, please," Axton calls to Moxxi behind the counter at the Up Over Bar, plunking himself down on the stools in front of the slot machines.

"Sure thing, sugar," she says with her trademark graceful smirk, and readies several shots of purple 'Rid Rum in a row. Moxxi knew her customers well, and she knew that when Axton (in particular) chose to drink, he was about to get some badass guns.

(And by extension, she would, too. Now that's capitalism, baby!)

Why the hell was he in Concordia?

It may have been for mere 'convenience.' It may have been to sight-see. Whatever anyone thought, he really just wanted to gamble, and holding a skag's tail for luck in one hand and a stiff drink in the other, he could give a shit either way.

He remembered his infantry days and his mates grinding guns until they had but one left. This particular grinder was Dahl, like the others, and was probably the last of its kind. (This was the main reason, but he said nothing of it, and no one asked.)

Aside from all that, he didn't really want to wander around with Fast Travel (he didn't need to), but he was a contradiction in, not only terms, but actions.

Some would call him a liar; He believed in quick thinking, and changing plans at a second's notice.

At that moment, he should've been out on a mission with Maya and the others, but he had decided to make a quick detour to test his luck first. (And he needed better guns.)

He puts in the required guns, and starts the grinder. It whirs and makes a mechanical sucking noise before it miraculously spits out a legendary shotgun on the first try.

"No way," he says to himself quietly, picking it up to examine it.

"Viral Marketer, huh?"

Satisfied, at least for the moment, he begins grinding his excess guns one after the other, hoping for the same luck as his first try.

He is not disappointed.

Heading back to the bar with several newer, rarer guns, his ECHO-comm suddenly goes off, and an irritated-sounding voice blares out:

"What the fuck, Ax? Where the hell are you?" With the sounds of battle loud and clear in the background, he responds calmly.

"Don't worry. I'm on my way...and I have presents," he adds, smiling to himself.

"Presents?! How's my foot up your ass sound for a present?"

Axton chuckles at the voice, and is grateful for the distance between himself and the livid Siren on the opposite end. He knows he's a good teammate, and he was pretty sure that's the only reason he wasn't being Phaselocked right now. (Aside from the fact that his team was fighting without him.)

"Move your ass!" Maya screams through the ECHO-comm.

"I know, I know! Priorities!" Axton yells back in a playful tone.

"You better not be fucking around!"

He takes a few more shots of 'Rid Rum before tipping Moxxi and says, "Thanks for keeping quiet. I wanted to surprise them."

"Of course, hon," Moxxi says, and smiles as he turns to leave.

"And Happy Birthday!" she adds with a wink.

Some would call him a liar, yes; But he believed in giving gifts to his friends, and changing plans at a moment's notice on his birthday.

Despite his joy, he still prays that the tight hell waiting for him doesn't completely ruin his day.