The Cycle Continues

Immediately after a meat bicycle built for two.

This raving beauty actually extended out her hand to me, my beastly self.

"I'm Maya. Thanks for saving me from those….things."

I uncontrollably look at her hand with my face awkwardly close to it. And I thought screaming i'm the conductor of the poop train was embarrassing.

"Why isn't there a knife in your hand twisting in my skull?" I ask. Confused by my response, Maya let out a uhh.

She's trying to introduce herself. Just shake her hand and say your name.

Maya was about to pull her hand back until I rushed in with mine and shook her hand wildly.

"Krieg! "I blurted out. We parted hands and she rested hers on her hip.

"Well Krieg, i'm looking for an archaeologist named . Do you know where I could find him?"

You can't let her leave us. Tell her about the town we saw. She might be able to find some info there.

"Follow me if you want to live!" I said as I started walking into the distance, heading to the town of Ovejas. On the way there, she began speaking to me.

"Krieg, I gotta ask you. What was your first reaction when you saw me, as a siren?"She looked very concerned about this. The way her eyes dilated to see my whole answer. Her mouth shut up close so as to only listen, not speak.

Hmmmm, the fact that I knew at first sight she was a Siren and a vault hunter was really odd for me. It just seems so familiar, but I can't put my finger on it.

"Nnngh, quit the mind garbage!" I bellowed out before striking myself in the head. Dude what's wrong with you? Wait- that's a stupid question.

Maya was definitely disappointed by my answer. Her arms drooped to her sides, her head bowed a bit low."Yea. Should have figured you would say that."

No, no! Don't let her down like that. Tell her how you really feel. Tell her that being a siren means nothing to you.

"I'm so close to stopping right now that I have to stop myself from stopping!" *sigh* close enough.

Maya did like anyone hearing that would do by looking at me awkwardly and saying."Ok."

The rest of the trip there was mostly uneventful. Except for me yelling about how much I wanted to kill something. Meanwhile Maya seemed visually troubled about going to a town. I wish I could ask her why, but all that would come out would be about kicking dead puppies until they became ghosts.

We arrive after an hour of walking at the town of Ovejas. We don't hesitate to start looking around for anywhere that might hold the information Maya seeks.

The land was arid, not even a speck of vegetation. The houses were long and short, red and white, some of them had bullet holes in them. Clearly a battle took place here.

The locals around here are mostly brown skinned. A couple of variations here and there of other races. Their heads turn to look at Maya's bare arm with curiosity; some even complimented her on the sweet tats when they passed us up.

This place is so by itself that they probably haven't gotten galaxy news in decades. I would buy ignorance like that for a day, so I could just sit back and forget about the whole universe. Maya's mood seem slightly bettered by everyone's ignorance of her true identity. She actually giggled when a little girl asked her if she could draw those doodles on her arm."These people are so nice." She told me.

We stop at a marketplace, several stands lined up in aisles. Just like the houses before, they too had bullet holes in them. Several residents are walking around looking for their desired products.

Maya and I walk over to the first stand that didn't have any customers in front of it. The worker at the stand was busy fiddling with something behind and below the wooden structure. Maya tapped the bell on top of the bar. The owner started his practiced greeting while still ducked behind his stand.

"Welcome, how may i-DIOS MIO!"The man quickly became frightened when he got up and took a glance at my stature. Probably because I look like I'm about to snap his spine like a kit-kat bar. And I would, if he deserved it. Maya gestured to me and spoke.

"Don't worry about him. He's, mostly harmless."

Clearly that didn't put him at ease since he couldn't even glance at me without stiffing up. He kept his eyes on Maya.

"What can I do for ya?" He asked.

"I'm looking for an archaeologist named Dr. Simmons. He has done research about Sirens and the vaults. I need to ask him some questions. "

The man leaned in, giving her a questionable stare with one of his eyes." You're not working for Hyperion are you?"

"The blood of the shiny yellow shall run all around and drench my fists!" I said with a thrust of my clenched hands in the air. I don't know why I said that. Or why it pains me to hear that name.

"Does that answer your question?" Maya said.

The man went on." I don't know anything about an archaeologist. The only one that knows about all that alien stuff is long gone. The only person he informed was his abuella."

"Abuella? "Maya asked.

"Spanish for Grandma. She lives all the way north of here in an isolated house on a farm."

Maya flashes a smile of gratitude and waves goodbye to the seller. I did as well, of course not normally though.

"I'll snap your spine later!" I said as I slam both of my hands on his stand. Unfortunately he couldn't read between the lines and understand what I meant to say. So he quickly hid behind his stand and said in a cowardly manner.

"THANK YOU FOR VISITING! please leave…."

We head off into the direction the seller told us about. The house is exactly how he described. Pumpkins on the front lawn, fenced off from us. Just pumpkins, must be their main produce.

We walk to the front of the house and Maya knocks on the door. The person we are greeted by is a tall elderly woman, almost my height. Her whole body is covered by a white robe. Her hood stayed off the top of her head.

"Buenas tardes. Are you two interested in some pumpkins?" She said with a smile warm enough to grow a whole field of vegetables.

"No, mam, we are looking for information about sirens and the Vault. Could we ask you about it?"

"Sure, sure, come in."

Maya and I walked into her little abode and we all sat down in her chairs to chat. She starts to introduce herself.

"My name is Isabella. What's yours? "

"I'm Maya. And this big guy over here."She gestures towards me."He's Krieg. "Maya went on to say."You're awfully generous to people you just met, mam."

"I treat everyone in this town with the same hospitality. "Isabella answered.

"You're not worried someone might take advantage of that?" Maya asked.

"Well I use to have my little nieto here to protect me but now all I have is my two big men in the back."

Maya went on." Anyway,can you tell us something about sirens and the vaults?"

"Oh, I'm so very sorry but my memory isn't what it used to be. When my little nieto told me about this man he tortured, I couldn't remember anything past a broken arm." She leaned in closer." But I am good with remembering people. An old archaeologist friend of mine talked about that all the time. I think, can't remember. "

Maya grew ecstatic." That's exactly who I'm looking for . Can you tell us where he is?"

"I can do one better, I'll show you."

She got up from her chair and then we heard bullets coming from outside. I was the first to go and peek out the window to see. A whole army of bandits stood outside in Isabella back yard. One stood in front all of them yelling.

"Bring us the crazy one and you might live!"

A/N- Thanks for reading and I hoped you enjoyed. Have a wonderful morning/day/night and I'll see ya next week.