Chapter 2: Plans and Violence
As Smoke avoided the Rampager, J narrowed his eyes before launching himself forward with his right fist pulled back and taking a deep breath only to release a roaring war cry. The Rampager looked at J as his fist was engulfed in flames as he brought his knuckles to the monster's head knocking it back and staggering it.
With the monster in its moment of daze, Moze took this chance to hop into her Iron Bear with its right weapon being a powerful rail gun while its left limb was equipped with rocket pods. Smoke turned and swayed his hand to create his arc star before throwing at the Rampager's face watching as it exploded making it scream in pain.
"Roar at that bitch!" Smoke spoke before tripping and falling on his rear making the Rampager charge toward the inventor. "...fuck..."
Moze opened fire on the Rampager's face making it howl in pain before jumping over Smoke with its arms raised to bring down on Iron Bear. As the Rampager was in midair, Moze brought her mech suits arms up to block its slam forcing Iron Bear to fall to its knee.
"Damn this thing is tough!" Moze shouted before J ran up the monsters back and jumped up clasping his hands together mixing both fire and shock before he brought it down on Rampager's head dazing it again.
"Push it back!" J shouted before jumping off the monster's head while Moze screamed and pushed the Rampager back as she watched it collapse onto the ground.
"Is it over?" Smoke asked as the Rampager laid motionless. "Welp just in case," He said as he walked up to the dead monster with a sigh.
"Isn't that overkill?" Moze asked looking at Smoke.
"Better safe than sorry," Smoke replied as he performed all three motions on his right hand to spray the motionless beast with a large electric, corrosive, flamethrower that coated the creature's entire body.
It quickly released a powerful roar that pushed Moze and J back while Smoke was sent flying back and landing on his rear.
"Damn!" Smoke spoke before getting back to his feet and watching the Rampager get back to its hands and feet while its neck drew longer to that of a jackal. "Holy shit that is fucking awesome!"
"SMOKE! FOCUS!" J shouted as he got into a boxing stance glaring at the Rampager.
The Rampager glared at the three before opening its mouth and releasing a powerful roar firing a wave of corrosive energy balls. Smoke rolled into cover while Iron Bear braced itself. J, on the other hand, rolled his right shoulder back causing his shoulder to glow bright green as a sign that he switched his elemental damage to corrosive. With his right arm corrosive, he raised his hand to catch the line of corrosive energy balls heading his way and smirked as it was absorbed into his shoulder. Smoke blinked at this before shaking his head.
"How the fuck did you know that was going to work?" Smoke questioned.
"I didn't," J answered before tucking his right fist back and punching forward sending a corrosive energy blast back at the monster and watched as it took the blast full on.
J only stood there with narrowed eyes before the Rampager jumped while its open maw raced toward his form. As the jaws of the beast grew closer, J brought his left fist forward to uppercut the Rampager dealing shock damage. Smoke took this chance to take out his Gatling rifle and open fire on the beast, watching as it raised its right arm to block his bullets.
"This thing is tough!" Maya shouted while phase-locking its head so Moze could continue to fire away at its body along with Smoke.
With three Vault Hunters focusing on the Rampager's form, it did not take long before it broke out of Maya's phase-lock and transformed one more time. This time when it roared, everyone was launched back into either a pillar or a wall with wings growing on its arms. Smoke groaned as he forced himself up and looked at the floor seeing his pack of blunts scattered on the ground and torn apart. A burst of soft laughter escaped Smoke's lips as he placed his sniper on his back and grinned widely making J turn toward his friend.
"Uh. Is Smoke going to be okay?" Maya asked looking at the inventor than at J while Iron Bear walked back to them.
"He's pissed," J answered rolling his left shoulder back switching it to frost.
"Why is he pissed?" Moze asked reloading her weapons as J narrowed his eyes to see Smoke's pack of weed on the floor crushed under the Rampager's feet.
"The monster ruined my friend's pack of weed. He treasures them a lot and as such takes care of them until he uses them. Due to that, many bandits lost their lives as well as anyone trying to bring harm to us," J said with a sigh. "Just watch out for friendly fire."
"Friendly fire?" Maya asked looking at J before Smoke pulled out a rocket launcher that shot a single puck at the Rampager and hitting it square in the forehead doing little to no damage but at the same time coating it in red light.
"YOUR FUCKIGN DEAD!" Smoke shouted before a barrage of five rockets that flew directly toward the Rampager's face and slamming into it causing the monster to stumble backward.
"Take it down!" Maya shouted as she phase-locked its chest to keep it in place.
This allowed the Iron Bear to move to the left while Smoke ran the opposite way showing both were moving around it. While the three were keeping it busy, J glared at the Rampager as it fired a stream of flames from its breath that raced toward the lone juggernaut. Grinning lightly, J rolled his right shoulder having it shift back to its incendiary damage before raising his right hand to start absorbing the fire. Even though he absorbed the Rampager's attack, he had a feeling that it was resistant to its own element right now until a thought came into mind while rolling his left shoulder to have its element switch to frost.
"Hope this doesn't bite me in the ass," J whispered to himself before placing his right hand over his left as he started to mix fire and ice.
Maya looked at J feeling it becoming suddenly hotter to see that he had created a small ball of heat surrounded by ice before he fired it toward the beast.
"GET TO COVER!" J shouted before running behind a pillar as Maya released the Rampager to move into cover with Iron Bear bracing itself once more and Smoke hiding behind Moze's mech suit.
As the ball of energy connected with the Rampager, it suddenly spiked outward in a flash of light forcing everyone to close their eyes. Once the light had died down, Moze opened her eyes to see a frozen statue of the Rampager before it shattered revealing its body was still whole but its eyes completely lifeless. Smoke peeked out from behind Moze along with Maya and J who gathered to look at the dead beast.
"Dude the hell?" Smoke asked looking at J with a raised brow. "Let me guess. You had no idea if it would work or not?"
"...I did not know..." J admitted while looking at the dead creature.
"That...was a masterpiece of badassery! Seriously, good job," Maya spoke with a smile while looking at the dead Vault monster.
"I mean we had some surprises but nothing we can't handle," Smoke said digging in his pants pocket to pull out his last blunt her had hide just in case.
"How many of those do you have Smoke?" Moze asked as she exited her heavily damaged Iron Bear as it faded away.
"A lot. I'm just someone who hates to waste goods," Smoke answered while placing it between his lips and lighting it with his flamethrower smiling. "Plus, it seems your Iron Bear can use some repairs. If you want, I am sure Ellie and I can fix her right up,"
"I would appreciate that," Moze spoke before looking at J who knelt before the dead creature and his right palm on its forehead. "What are you doing J?"
"Praying for the beast. It was a good fight," J answered before standing up and looking at Moze. "You also fought well Moze."
"Thanks. It comes with the experience," Moze said with a smile.
"Hell yeah! That was awesome!" Ava shouted as she walked out of her hiding place looking at the dead creature.
"Ava? I told you to wait on the ship. It isn't safe for you here!" Maya scolded in while her apprentice was simply looking around in amazement.
"And miss a chance to see a real Vault? Look at this place!" Ava replied in excitement.
"Ava, you're not a Vault Hunter yet! There's a lot more to it than running headfirst into danger!" Maya continued while walking over to Ava.
"Right, yeah, totally," Ava responded while still looking around.
Maya groaned and shook her head before looking at the Vault Hunters with her hands on her hips.
"Vault Hunters, you should go inside. Take your time. I need to have a chat with my apprentice," Maya spoke as she looked back at Ava.
"This place must be, like...a hundred years old. Maybe even TWO hundred!" Ava shouted while raising her hands.
"Ava...we need to talk," Maya spoke in which Ava only nodded and continued to look around.
"Alright well, I' ma head in and check the inside of a Vault out. Wanna join me Moze?" Smoke asked looking at Moze while walking toward the Vault's entrance.
"What about J?" Moze asked looking at J who was sitting down on the ground with his eyes closed.
"He's going to rest a bit. It's rare for us to stay in a long drawn out fight. As tough as he is, when it comes to endurance in a fight...he kind of lacks that," Smoke answered standing out of the Vault's entrance with a smile.
"You don't say," Moze spoke before turning and walking toward the Vault leaving the three behind as Smoke entered inside first.
-With Smoke and Moze-
'Vault Hunter? Can you hear me? Do not panic! I am simply testing a new communication device based on Lilith's powers. It seems ECHO cannot penetrate the bounds of the Vault, so I am forced to use this. I am curious to know what you find in there,' Tannis spoke which made Smoke freak out for a brief moment before realizing it was the scientist, he met on Sanctuary 3.
"Yeah. Her voice still gets me good," Smoke said with a soft sigh as he continued to walk forward.
"About J. Are you sure he's okay?" Moze asked looking at Smoke as he placed his hands behind his head.
"Why? Worried about him?" Smoke asked with a chuckle while glancing over his shoulders at Moze smirking.
"Is it wrong to worry about a member of your unit?" Moze asked with a raised brow.
"Not really...I've seen how soldiers act with one another but yours is a little too...casual," Smoke commented before facing forward causing Moze to look away while blushing softly. "Be honest with me. Are you interested in J?"
Moze looked at the ground remaining silent making Smoke laugh again.
"Cause I'll tell you what. I am very interested in Tannis," Smoke spoke with a chuckle.
"We know Smoke," Moze said with a faint smirk while shaking her head.
"I'm just saying. Woo... man...that's a woman...and I ain't shy to say it either," Smoke said with a smile. "You hear me Tannis! I love you!" Smoke shouted as he stopped in front of what looked like an altar with a single device floating in the center of it.
'Uhh right, although I appreciate your affection, we must get back to our umm...duties. The Vault Map led us here for a reason. There must be some significance to this device,' Tannis spoke making Smoke inspect the device himself before taking it into hand and narrowing his eyes.
"Well from my point of view it looks like some kind of gauntlet of some kind," Smoke spoke before handing it to Moze who blinked.
"What?" Moze asked looking at the device with a raised brow.
"I don't wanna wear it. I already got one. So here ya go," Smoke said with a smile in which Moze sighed and stretched her left arm out in which the inventor slide the device onto her forearm. "Looks nice."
As soon as Smoke backed up, the device faded away making Move blink her eyes before bringing her opposite hand down on her forearm to feel that it was now gone.
"That's weird," Moze admitted in which she looked at Smoke than toward an eridium pile before walking up to it and getting into a boxing stance.
"Whatcha doing?" Smoke asked before Moze brought her left fist toward the pile as the device reappeared and allowed the gunner to crack the eridium. "Woo."
Moze smirked before punching it again causing the pile of eridium to shatter into pieces. Nodding at her actions, he looked at the device before it faded away again.
"Uhh you wouldn't mind me asking if I can have that back, would you?" Smoke asked with a nervous laugh.
"Not a chance," Moze replied before walking off to start opening the chests.
"Welp can't win them all," Smoke commented before he started to loot the chests as well.
-With Maya, Ava, and J-
"Ava. I'm trying to keep you safe," Maya spoke with a worried look in her eyes.
"By just ditching me on the ship?! You said I could be a Vault Hunter like you! You promised!" Ava countered.
"You will! When you're ready!" Maya replied in an attempt to calm her apprentice down.
Suddenly a beam of fire fell upon the dead Rampager corpse revealing the Calypso twins standing on it.
"What's up bitches? Ohhh, Troy! Look what they left for us!" Tyreen spoke with an excited smile.
"Thanks for doing all the hard work. Man, you Vault Thieves only think with your trigger fingers, huh?" Troy asked with a smirk over his lips.
"Keep this up and I'll be a god for real," Tyreen spoke before chuckling causing Troy to turn and look at his sister.
"Uh-WE'LL be gods," Troy said with a raised brow.
"That's what I said. Now...let me do my thing," Tyreen spoke before she started to drain the Rampager's life force causing it to howl in pain.
"No! What are you doing?!" Ava shouted as she jolted forward only for Maya to grab hold of her apprentice.
"Taking what's ours. See, the monster don't protect the power of the Vaults. They ARE the power of the Vaults," Troy explained while looking at Ava.
"And now it's all mine," Tyreen said as she finished draining the Rampager's power while standing up and looking at her right-hand grinning.
"Hey, save any for the 'parasite?" Troy asked looking at his sister
Tyreen only shook her head with a hint of annoyance before teleporting to her brother. Both twins smiled before grabbing one another's inner forearm as Troy started to drain energy from his sister.
"We're leaving. Now," Maya warned while holding Ava back.
"We SHOULD be kicking their assess!" Ava shouted trying to break out of her mentors hold just as the twins finished sharing their power.
"So, who's the brat? You I get, but what's her deal?" Tyreen asked looking at Ava with a raised brow.
"She's no one. I'm your problem," Maya spoke as a means to pull their attention away from her apprentice.
"I'm gonna be a siren, and then I'm gonna mop the floor with assholes like you!" Ava shouted glaring at the twins after she broke out of Maya's grasp as they looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"You're gonna be a... pahaha! Is that how you think it works? Honey, you're not even gonna leave this place," Tyreen said before teleporting in front of Ava to grab her by the throat and lift her off the ground grinning.
Maya narrowed her eyes as she swayed her right hand up to captivate Troy in a phase-lock before pulling him over to her and drive her fist to hit gut knocking the air out of him. As Maya released Troy from her phase-lock, she got him into a back headlock and glared at Tyreen.
"Let. Her. Go," Maya warned while bringing her right hand to Troy's throat.
Tyreen narrowed her eyes for a second before she gave way and released Ava from her grasp.
"That's what I thought," Maya said before Troy brought his hand against Maya's arm beginning to quickly drain her life energy.
"MAYA!" Ava screamed in which J opened his eyes from his light slumber with his eyes pitch black of rage while Tyreen knocked Ava to the side to walk toward her brother.
"Be...ready..." Maya whispered before she screamed in pain as her body turned to mush on the floor.
"NO!" Ava screamed while stretching her right hand out to her faded mentor before getting back to her feet and pulling out her assault rifle only to be phase-locked by Troy who smiled with confidence.
Just as Tyreen was about to say something, a black figure stood behind Troy. Tyreen's eyes widened causing her brother to blink and turn around slowly to see Juggernaut standing over him before being swatted to the side. Troy skidded off the ground before Tyreen brought her hands together and fired a beam of fire from her palms pushing Juggernaut back.
"What...is...that?! I thought they killed the Vault monster?" Tyreen questioned as Juggernaut released a booming war cry before slowly pushing his way through the Calypso twins' beam.
"Whatever it is...it's no match for us," Troy spoke before phase-locking his form.
Juggernaut looked at his body than at Troy before using its left arm to block Tyreens attack while aiming his right arm at him and firing a blast of focused fire in his direction. Troy's eyes went wide before Tyreen teleported in front of him and created a barrier to block the fire.
"I'm getting real tired of this guy," Tyreen admitted before gritting her teeth and putting her full strength into a counterblast that pushed through the Juggernauts fire beam.
Juggernaut's eyes widened as Tyreen's beam crashed into his right arm and tore it apart in mere seconds causing him to scream in pain. Troy smirked before releasing Juggernaut from his hold only to bring it back but on his opposite arm and tearing it off. Ava watched in horror as her fellow Vault Hunter was being torn apart making the Calypso Twins look at each other then back at Juggernaut grinning.
"Too much for ya? You're the one that asked for it!" Tyreen said before firing her beam again and blasting his right leg off.
"Don't start a fight you know you can't win," Troy continued using Phase-lock to tear his last leg off causing Juggernaut to fade and reveal J fall to the ground unconscious.
"J!" Ava shouted before running over to him.
"J's his name? Well, we will be keeping a sharp eye on that one for sure. Till next time Vault Thieves," Tyreen spoke before the both of them laughed as she took hold of her brother's shoulder and teleported out of the Vault zone leaving Ava holding onto J.
Just as the Calypso twins left, Smoke and Moze came out of the Vault to see Ava passed out on a limbless J.
'Maya...she's gone. Grab the girl and J than get back to Sanctuary III. I'll...tell Lilith,' Tannis warned.
"She's...dead...Maya's...dead..." Ava whispered as she opened her eyes slightly to look up at Smoke and Moze.
"What happened?" Smoke asked running over to Ava and his friend.
"...the Calypso Twins...they took the life energy...from the monster...the monsters from the Vault...are the power...I heard...everything...before...I lost it. Sorry I couldn't avenge...Maya kid," J spoke looking up at Ava.
"Less talking more napping. I gotta get you back to the ship and start putting you back together man," Smoke said with a laugh while holding in a scream of rage as J blacked out.
"Can you walk Ava?" Moze asked bringing her hand out to help the apprentice up.
Ava nodded her head and took Moze's hand while Smoke took hold of his friend and picked him off the ground to lob him over his shoulder.
"Good thing there is a fast travel station...right?" Smoke said looking at Moze who nodded her head while Ava took the Gunners hand as she was helped to her feet.
"Let's get out of here. When we get to the ship, I will be in Ellis' area to try and fix up my buddy," Smoke advised earning a nod from Moze and Ava. "Just a heads up is all,"
-Sanctuary III-
As Moze and Ava went to the bridge, Smoke made is way to the hangar bay to start working on fixing up J. With Ellie going to the bridge as well to mourn for her friend Maya, Smoke was left alone to rebuild J's limbs. He had gone to his room to pick up some materials he had stashed away as well as a new pack of weed. By the time he had returned, he started to work on not only repairing J but also improving his past work. Eventually, Moze and Ellie came down to see the hangar bay filled with the scent of weed as well as smoke.
"What in tarnation's is going on in here? Did a gas line break or something?" Ellie complained before Moze waved her hand about.
"Nope. Just me working hella hard here," Smoke answered as he activated his sentry to start blowing the haze away revealing that the inventor had created four skeletal structures of his friend's limbs.
"Damn Smoke. I knew you were a genius and all, but I didn't think you were this much? It would normally take at least a few days for me to make a skeletal structure of J's arms and legs, but you did it in under a few minutes," Ellie complimented in which Smoke nodded his head.
"Thanks, but I could still use some help. Moze, I 'm sure you got some things to do right? Leave J here with me and Ellie and he'll be back up and tearing shit apart in no time...but better. Think you can handle the mission by yourself for now?" Smoke asked as he glanced over at the Gunner while his hands continued to move on their own.
"Yeah, I can do a lot on my own. Just get him back up to full power alright. We're going to need all the help we can get against the Calypso twins," Moze said before making her way toward the drop pod.
"Are you sure you wanna let a little lady like her go off on her own?" Ellie asked looking at Smoke while moving to his side while looking down at the drawn-out blueprints he had created.
"She can handle herself. Even if her Iron Bear is messed up, if she plays smart, she won't need to use it, " Smoke commented before looking back at his plans and sighing heavily. "I'm missing a lot of parts."
"Well, what do you need Smoke? Let me know and I'll get 'em as fast as I can," Ellie spoke with confidence in which Smoke nodded his head with a smile.
"Weapons...lots and lots of weapons. Preferably shotguns," Smoke said looking at Ellie grinning. "Go to Marcus and tell him I have a massive broomstick order. He'll know what I mean, and you can get the grunts to bring it down all down to me. I'll handle the rest."
"How much guns we talking here?" Ellie asked with a raised brow.
"A lot. Probably ten crates of weapons," Smoke answered.
"Do you have that kind of money? I don't remember Marcus giving away weapons for free without payment," Ellie said with a shrug.
"I have the money for it. I have a lot of money to burn and Marcus is more than happy to help take em off my hand...thankfully he is a reasonable man," Smoke said looking at Ellie. "Can you do that for me, Ellie?"
"A shit ton of guns coming right up," Ellie said with a smile before wobbling off to talk to Marcus as Lilith came down and looked at Smoke putting together some parts onto J's new limbs.
"How's J?" Lilith asked standing by Smoke's side now.
"He'll be fine. I won't lie. This is the most banged up I have ever seen him. Sure, he would mess up a limb but never get them shattered...and he got all four of them destroyed. And here I thought J would be able to take them on if he got pissed. Shows how naive I was," Smoke said before stopping his work and letting out a heavy sigh as he turned to look at Lilith. "I'm sorry for Maya...I would like to mourn her but with my buddy like this...I can't just leave him like this or give him mediocre replacements. He deserves more than that,"
With that Smoke went straight back to work before stopping again.
"...if only I was there maybe J wouldn't have gotten so messed up," Smoke whispered before going back to work. "Don't you have more pressing things to do than hang with an inventor and a limbless soldier?"
Lilith stared at the unconscious J before she nodded her head in agreement as she walked off back to the bridge. As she got to the steps, she came to a stop and looked over her shoulder at Smoke.
"Good luck in repairing your friend," Lilith said earning a nod from Smoke.
"I don't need luck...all I need is weapons and weed. Lots and lots of weed," Smoke said while getting back to work.
Half an hour passed before Ellie returned with crates of weapons purchased by Smoke's credit as he started to disassemble the weapons and put them onto J's new arms and legs. He had an outline out and even more so a more controlled method of J's juggernaut state which he set a strict code for. His rage would be the same, but he would be able to tell the difference between friends and enemies now. After an hour passed, Smoke was covered in sweat as he not only finished the limbs but also completed installing them which was the hardest part due to the screams of his friend.
"Alright, buddy. Your all set. How do you feel?" Smoke asked his unconscious friend. "J? Come on man don't play any games with me here."
J remained motionless on the table before Moze returned to an unconscious body.
"What's going on?" Moze asked looking at the table and walking over to it.
Just as Smoke was about to answer Moze, J groaned and opened his eyes to see his friend as well as the gunner by each other.
"...that...was the most painful experience...I have ever had...and ever will have," J said glaring at his friend.
"Hot damn he's alive. You tough son of a bitch. You gave me a scare man," Smoke spoke before lightly punching his friend's shoulder before pulling his hand back and shaking it slightly. "Alright man, I'm dying to know. How do you feel?"
J raised his hands to his face to see that they were almost human-like if it was not for the white coloring as well as cylinders on his forearm that popped out only to sink back into his arm. He gripped his hands and watched as a double barrel sprang out of his knuckles. Smoke chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest while backing up along with Moze allowing J to slowly sit up and look at the double barrels poking out of his knuckles.
"Powerful...yet comfortable," J answered as he got to his feet to find his legs were the same color as his arms.
"Yeah, this time I took the time to really get you out there. Not Katagawa's sloppy mess. I wanted to change but every time I got the chance you would say no, or it was fine. Seems fine wasn't good enough in the fight against the twins was it?" Smoke asked with a raised brow. "But now what do you say, buddy? You think you can take them now?"
"...what weapons did you add into my limbs now?" J asked looking at his arms before slowly looking at his friend who chuckled slowly as he walked over to a board and snapped his fingers creating a holographic blueprint.
"I thought you'd never ask," Smoke said before going into a full detail rundown on his new limbs he had created.
From what the inventor pointed out; J no longer needed to bring an actual weapon to his missions since his arms were literally a weapon. All he had to do was activate a code and his arms would transform into it. Sadly, the only weapons he could use were shotguns as long-range was not J's style of fighting or more accurately, killing. He still had his functions to change his elemental damage but what was different was that he had eight different types of shotguns in his arms. Not stopping there, he made his legs more durable as to increase his stamina and speed to allow him to rush more aggressively.
"...what about my rage?" J asked looking at his hands and narrowing his eyes.
"Oh, trust me. Your rage is no longer a problem...for us...but for everyone else who is not marked as a friendly by Lilith or us...sucks to be them. You no longer have your large bulky form. I scrapped that without a second thought...which makes you that much more deadly," Smoke explained.
"...when can I test out my new limbs?" J asked looking at Smoke.
"I don't know. Where are we at on missions Moze?" Smoke asked now looking at the gunner who blinked at looked between the two before sighing and nodding her head.
"I rescued Hammerlock with the help of other Vault Hunters. Now we're going to meet up with Hammerlocks sister Lady Aurelia Hammerlock at the Jakobs manner," Moze explained.
"Oh, is she in for a surprise," Smoke said taking a long drag of his blunt before blowing it out slowly.
/To be continued...
Oh, snap. J gets an upgrade after getting…well...wrecked.
I hope everyone is as excited to see what he can do in the next chapter.
Please leave a favorite part in this chapter for motivational purposes.
Mahalo Nui everyone.