Hi, sorry I haven't updated since Sunday. I had to find room in my schedule since it's no longer the weekend and I haven't really written a dedicated story while it's a school week. Couple things I should mention. First all of the loot I have the characters collect is decided by a random number generator so like 1 = money, and 4 = a piece of equipment. (Gun, shield, relic, mod, grenade.) Of course missions will give the loot you'd actually get in the game. So in this there's a a segment I found entertaing that happened to have come up because of a lucky number genaration. Second there are fast travel stations, but there is no New-U program installed. Only acts like a fast travel station. That's it so have fun.
Chapter 3: Guns Can be Grenades
"You guys need help with anything?" Maddox asked Axton.
"Nah, I think we're good now. Hammerlock went in his house to get a shield for one of us." Axton said.
"Who?"
"Oh right, you haven't met him yet. He should be outside any minute. Oh, uh how's Gaige doing? She didn't look all that well."
"It was her first kill. She's trying not to break down. Even if it was a guy who probably has no care what happened to anyone. She still feels guilt for taking him out like that. Just something she'll need to adjust to."
"Ooh that's rough. I didn't handle my first kill very well either."
"Yea, I told her the same thing about me. Seemed to help a little bit." Maddox said as he started backing up to walk away.
"Oh, hey before you go. I just remembered. I scavenged these right after the battle so go ahead and gives these out to the rest. This Biggun is for Maya. Give Sal this ammo. Zero gets this money. Gaige gets this Med Hypo. Krieg gets this money. You can keep this money."
"But I didn't do anything."
"We wouldn't be here if you didn't kill the Mong back there."
"Oh, thanks. What did you get?"
"I'm keeping this Med Hypo."
"Noice. I'm going to deliver these now."
"Alright see ya." Axton waved.
"Later." Maddox saluted back.
Maddox walked around and found Maya.
"Maya." She turned towards him. Krieg was standing nearby. Watching him carefully. Sending a chill down Maddox's spine. That is, if he had one. "This Biggun is for you. Axton already looted everything."
"Oh ok… wait do you have a gun. Besides your ability?" Maya asked.
"Um, no actually."
"You can keep the gun. Just give me what you earned."
Maddox handed her money and turned to Krieg to give him his. Maddox saw Zero on a rooftop. Surveying the area with his new Sniper.
Maddox climbed up to the rooftop and gave Zero his money.
"Thank you." He said nothing else. Maddox nodded and climbed down and spotted Salvador talking to Axton.
"Hey Salvador." Maddox called.
"Sí?" Sal responded in Spanish. Maddox tossed him his ammo.
Sal looked at Maddox confused. "That's the loot." Maddox clarified.
"Oh ok."
Maddox started walking back up towards the ledge where Gaige was still sitting. "You doing ok?" Maddox asked half knowing the answer.
"...I... I think I'm getting there. Did they need help down there?"
"Not much, we're waiting on Hammerlock to find a shield. Other than that they had me pass around battle loot. You have a Med Hypo." He said handing her the pinkish vile.
"Thanks. Have you found a way to keep yourself charged?"
"I thought about using some of the town's power. But it doesn't have enough to make a big difference."
"Darn. I hope we find something. Suck to have you shut down like that again. Especially since you may never wake up."
"Yea…"
"It's weird you're not a robot. Yet, you run on power like a robot would."
"No kidding. The most annoying drawback of being this freak of nature. Well, now that I think about it, when I encounter a extremely emotional situation. Not only do I get stronger but I wind up using less energy."
"Like an adrenaline rush."
"Exactly. Just I've only been able to get it with anger. I've done that more than once. No 'heat of battle' adrenaline. You have to piss me off somehow. Make me snap, it doesn't get pretty when I do that's for sure."
"Can I get a picture?" Gaige asked interested.
"The enemies are disintegrated completely. Not the usual hole in the torso or missing limb. No trace that they existed. Except maybe an area behind them that's melted through or blackened."
"Your power is pretty cool. Definitely be in handy when facing Vault Monsters."
"Actually… when we get to sanctuary I was going to look for the person who is like me. I probably won't be hunting Vaults." Maddox admitted.
"Oh. I see." Gaige said mildly disappointed.
"Don't worry. I'll probably swing by Sanctuary a few times along the way." Maddox reassured her. Gaige simply nodded. "Looks like Maya is calling us." Maddox saw the Siren waving at them.
Maddox got up and Gaige walked down next to him. Once they reached the rest, Maddox saw Hammerlock standing near a bounty board and a fast travel station. Maddox nudged Gaige causing her to notice Hammerlock's cybernetic arm, leg, and eye. Gaige instantly smiled, and ran up to meet him. Maddox chuckled slightly as they began to talk about cybernetics and how they lost their limbs, or eye, however you lose an eye Maddox would never know. Then again he couldn't lose anything as it would just regenerate back on to him.
"Axton, did he finally get the shield?" Maya asked him.
"Yes, he said to vote for who would actually get it. I say I get it."
"I'm fine with that." Maya said.
"No senior I want it."
"The short one should get it/ always in the front/ only makes sense." Zero voted Sal.
"SMALL GIRL!" Krieg yelled. This got Gaige's attention.
"Huh?" Gaige looked confused.
"Who do you think should get the shield?" Axton asked.
"I'll take it." Gaige said.
"Looks like you're the tie breaker Maddox." Maya said.
"I hate being the tie breaker." Maddox said under his breath.
If Axton got the shield who is a mid range fighter would make it pretty much useless.
If Sal got it, since he is in the front he can take a lot more of the fire.
However, Gaige is young. The shield would save her life if a stray bullet found its way to her.
"I guess give it to Sal." Maddox said.
"Alright." Axton said as he gave Sal the shield.
"Oh hey before you go. Could you please kill all the Bullymong that invaded parts of the town. There are some by the graveyard and others are down under the bridge over there. Could you please clear them out?"
"I don't see why we can't." Maddox said.
"Ok, me, Zero, and Maya will clear the graveyard. The rest of you can take out those below the bridge." Axton said.
The two groups split. Maddox and Gaige, stayed above the ravine while the two tanks would provoke the Mongs. Maddox formed his Biggun while Gaige took out her Longrider. Sal aimed his Negotiator at the baby mong and fired a couple bursts. The mong was killed, however this caused the rest of the Mongs to crawl out of there holes. While Sal began shooting them with his pistol. Krieg would unload a volley at a group of Mongs. Maddox held his hand up, putting three fingers, then two, then one, then gripped it in a firm fist. Maddox and Gaige both got up and jumped down onto a mong. While Maddox began to unload the Tediore weapon at the mong below him, Gaige fired ger shotgun at the mong that jumped to take their heads off.
Maddox jumped off the dead mong and began firing it at a much bigger one. His gun clicked empty. He looked for a mag eject but couldn't find one. "Hey Gaige?"
"Yes?" She answered firing the last of her current load at a monglet.
"How do you reload?"
Gaige looked at him with wide eyes. "Eject the mag then put in a new one." She deadpanned.
"Woah, why is my gun beeping?"
"Beeping?... beeping! Maddox throw the gun."
"Why, I just want to reload it?"
"Just throw it."
"But it's a good gun why would I-"
Gaige Ripped the gun from his hand and threw it at a monglet. The gun exploded and killed the Mong. Then it reappeared in Gaige's hand. She handed the gun to him scolding him.
"Oh… that's how you reload. Not gonna lie, I never would have thought of that." Maddox said scratching his head.
"I swear you lived under a rock." Gaige said slightly frustrated.
"That was the last mong. Let's see if our amigos need help." Sal suggested.
They all followed Sal and saw that the other were already done clearing out their section. Suddenly, Gaige burst out laughing, she started rolling on the ground and started snorting.
"What's so funny?" Maddox asked.
"Y-you-Your face was priceless when" snort* "when I" she heaved. "when I ripped the gun out of your hand and threw it." snort* "then it exploded and you-your fac-face was the funniest thing I've ever seen."
Maddox turned red with embarrassment. "I didn't know how to reload it. How was I supposed to know I had to throw it."
"I-I" she held up her finger so she could catch her breath. "I figured you already did. But I'm glad you didn't. Because your face was priceless. It was all like." She widened her eyes and dropped her jaw as far as she could. She burst into a fit of laughter again.
"I'm never going to live this down am I?"
She shook her head. When she finally calmed down. She got up and dusted herself off. "Thanks, I needed that."
"I hate you." Maddox said playfully.
"Liar." She said back.
"Gaige. Take this." Axton said giving her a Rifle.
"Oh, uh thanks." Gaige said not sure why she was getting it. Axton didn't notice the uncertainty in her voice.
"We're about to do a couple more things for Hammerlock. He wants us to get some Bullymong hair and to go buy a shield." Axton said.
"Alright I think we're ready so, round everyone up and we'll meet by the lever." Maddox responded. Axton nodded and walked off. Maddox and Gaige made their way to where the lever was that raised the wall. Pretty soon the rest showed up.
Maddox flipped the lever and the wall below them raised. They all got down and stopped on the ramp that led down to a bandit outpost.
"Hey, Maddox I'll let you take control of this mission." Axton told him.
"Oh! Uh ok… I guess." Maddox said. It had been a long time since he led a team. "Where is this elevator at?"
"Over there." Maya pointed to a larger outpost just across the frozen lake.
"Ok. Zero you stay here. Take out enemies from afar, but wait for a shot. Krieg sneak around and wait until you hear a gunshot. Axton, Maya, and Sal. There won't be a whole lot of them. So hang back unless we start getting overwhelmed. Gaige." Maddox leaned down and quietly spoke to her. "We're about to kill more people. Do you want to take part in this?"
Gaige hesitated, then finally nodded. Figuring that she would need to on this planet whether she liked it or not.
"Ok, there's a shotgun midget. Silently kill him, choke him out. Break his neck. Don't shoot unless you need to. I'll get the Marauder."
Everyone nodded and started getting into position. Krieg gave him a thumbs up when he was ready. Maddox was surprised he was acting so quietly and somewhat sane. Maddox put his hand up, similar to earlier. Three. Two. One. Now. Maddox and Gaige climbed up and started working on their target. Maddox quickly snapped the Marauder's neck. Gaige seemed to struggle a bit but finally punched the midget with her cybernetic arm.
Maddox signaled to the stairs. They both went up. Maddox held his pistol ready while Gaige held her new AR. They both checked around the corners finding no one. Maddox found the lever to the elevator and bent down to switch it while Gaige watched his back. Maddox flipped the lever and cringed when it made a noise and didn't work.
A crazed marauder came out the door holding his AR at the ready. Maddox quickly dove into Gaige as the Marauder fired at them. The bullets slammed into his arm. Maddox aimed his pistol and killed the Marauder.
Maddox watched Krieg run and punched a much smaller psycho than he was and killed it.
Maddox got off of Gaige and looked at his arm. Seeing the bullet holes and contemplated in regenerating it at the cost of more power. "Are you ok?" Gaige asked him seeing his arm slightly torn up.
Maddox stood up shaking his arm seeing its limits. "Yea, I'll be fine." He gave her a thumbs up and quickly grabbed his arm with a pained look on his face. "So I can shake you like crazy but a thumbs up. Nooo that's crossing the line." He huffed at his arm.
"Why isn't it regenerating?"
"I'm trying to keep my power level maintained. Don't want to use it unless I absolutely need to."
"I'm sorry I should have payed more attention."
"Eh. It happens. I'll be fine." Everyone came over. "So we have a minor setback. The elevator isn't working."
"Let me contact Hammerlock." Sal said as he stepped aside and listened to his ECHO. "Ok, looks like we need a new adapter. He said there should be one in that bandit stronghold over there." Sal pointed at the stronghold that was set up near a giant wall of ice.
"Ok, I don't want to try to do this with a plan. Let's just storm it. Zero start it off." Maddox said. Gladly Zero aimed his sniper and took out a psycho. Everyone else ran up and started shooting at the bandits. Most of the bandits were killed instantly. They made it to the middle of the strong hold, there was an electric barrier and Gaige shot the electricity box. More bandits came pouring out of the buildings.
However, while Gaige was loading the last burst from her shotgun a suicide psycho snuck behind her. She turned around but before she could react it had detonated.
She opened her eyes finding herself glowing a light red hue. She looked over at Maddox who had an overstretched arm while his eyes were glowing red. The red began to flicker out and dimmed to nothing. Maddox collapsed.
"Maya!" Gaige said getting her attention.
Maya immediately saw what was wrong. "Get him to safety." She commanded.
Gaige tried to pick up him up and found he was surprising light. Even for his size he felt like he was barley heavier than her shotgun. She carried him back to the town and set him down. "Hammerlock, help!" Gaige called him.
Hammerlock rushed over. "Oh dear, what ever happened."
"He-I-" Gaige stumbled out.
"Tell me later, let me see what he needs." Hammerlock cut her off. He picked him and took him inside his igloo and Gaige followed inside. Hammerlock cleared off a table and set Maddox on it. "Was he shot?"
"No. He-" she hesitated to say anything. Was this something she could tell others. This could save his life. But what if he got mad when he found out she told Hammerlock. She decided she'd rather him be mad at her than dead. "He sorta ran out of power."
"Is he a robot, or cyborg?" Hammerlock asked looking at him slightly confused.
"No, he's a different kind of species entirely. As far as he knows there is only one other of his kind out there. He runs on some sort of power or something I don't know. If he uses too much or runs out he passes out and is lucky if he wakes up again."
Hammerlock paused for a few moments. Thinking of a way to help this species he never knew existed. "I have an idea bring him outside."
So what is Hammerlock's idea? Will it work? Will it make everything worse? Who knows? (Besides me of course.)
Inventory Update:
Axton
Anaconda- Dahl Pistol
Maya
Repeater- Dahl Pistol
Salvador
Negotiator- Dahl Pistol
Standard Shielf- Tediore
Zero
Callipeen- Jakobs Sniper Rifle
Gaige
Rifle- Vladof AR
Longrider- Jakobs Shotgun
Krieg
Incendairy Launcher- Bandit Launcher
Maddox
Biggun- Tediore Pistol