So I've had this done for almost a week. I just didn't have the time to transfer it over to because I had bad connection over the weekend and I have two track meets going on this week. (One yesterday and another tomorrow) (Posted on April 17th 2019) so busy week still. I'll also be traveling over Easter Weekend so... yea. Anyway this chapter is kind of a drag. I don't think it's as long my others because this chapter felt really forced. I would have just skipped over to fighting Wilhelm but that's next chapter and this one is just a couple more side quests. These side quests in particular I was never a fan of doing. Basically it's the loader that you have to find the body for. The group also splits in half to deal with the Rats that are a knockoff Ninja Turtle Group. I would have skipped this portion and wanted to. But something kinda important is starting to form. I'll just let you read now.
Chapter 15: Back Into the Deep
"So where's this spy at?" Axton asked Roland.
"He is in the Tundra Express, he hasn't reported anything yet concerning a vault key, but if you want to send someone to scout with him go ahead, the rest can stay here and rest up or finish up some bounties." Roland told him.
"Ok, I'll go ahead and go scout with him." Axton left to the Tundra Express, leaving Maya in charge.
Salvador was sleeping, Maya was hanging out with Lilith, Zero was surprisingly in Moxxi's bar, Krieg was walking around on the outside of Sanctuary… no one really knew why. Maddox was sitting on the couch while Gaige laid on the couch with her head in his lap. Maddox played with her reddish brown locks. She left her hair down more often while at Sanctuary. She didn't mind having it down and she knew that Maddox preferred it to be left down. Of course when going in battle she would put it up since she didn't want anything catching it.
Tannis walked into the room. "Oh I've finally found one of you... well two of you. Turns out some Hyperion test subjects had escaped their test labs. They want to integrate back into society, but unfortunately that's impossible. I need you to eliminate them."
Maddox let out a sigh "Great… more work." Maddox muttered under his breath. "Yea. We can do that."
"Good, you'll need to bait them out. I already ordered some pizza for them. Go get your vault hunter friends and kill those savages." Just as quickly as she came Tannis left around the corner. Gaige slowly sat up. Her beautiful hair falling just past her shoulders. She leaned onto Maddox's shoulder.
"We can't have a day where we can just chill cane we?" Gaige said clearly annoyed.
"Nope I guess not, but I think eventually we can finally just settle down and not have to worry about getting blown up by a moon shot."
"True, instead we'll just have to worry waking up to a psycho bandit."
Maddox let out a little chuckle. "That's Pandora for you."
Gaige stood all the way up. Maddox stood up just a little after her. Catching her before she walked off into a tight hug. She didn't resist and happily complied with it. "I have to put my hair up. While I do that, can you get the others?" Gaige asked.
"Of course."
"Thank you."
"No problem."
Reluctantly Gaige broke their blissful embrace; she left to do her hair. Maddox walked over to Moxxxi's and picked up the pizza while grabbing Zero. He eventually found Maya and got her. He showed back up at headquarters. Gaige was ready and grabbed Sal. On their way out, Krieg had joined them. They rode technicals towards the Bloodshot Stronghold.
Finally arriving at the stronghold, Maddox noticed that the bandits haven't repopulated the place. "This should be easy. There aren't many people here."
"Still though. I've seen this place too soon." Maya said what they were all thinking.
They all walked through the stronghold. Very rarely they would encounter a bandit. Eventually they ran into a couple of bandits attacking a loader. They killed the bandits and then the incapacitated loader.
"Wait!" The six of them stopped as that wasn't from any of them. Gaige turned to see the battery core of the loader on the floor completely intact. It would light up as it spoke. "You have defeated me. I would like to help you."
"Gaige you know how robots work. Is it lying?" Salvador asked her.
"I make robots; I don't understand robots that aren't made by me!" Gaige defended herself.
"Well, you have the most experience out of everyone here." Maddox pointed out.
"I have no idea. How about we just trust it?" Gaige blew off.
"What about the test subjects?" Maya asked.
"Yes we must split up/Some of us help the robot/others kill the rats" Zero answered in his haiku. Gaige shifted uncomfortably.
"Gaige, me and Maya will help the robot. The rest of you take care of the rats." Maddox planned, and Gaige let out a relieved sigh. Zero nodded taking Salvador and Krieg with him.
Resuming their march through the stronghold and easily dispatching leftover bandits, Maddox and his group finally made it to the ramparts. Gaige held the core in her hands, for she figured it was fragile. "Over there, plug me into that constructor bot so I may help you."
Gaige walked over to the offline machine. She looked around for a spot to plug it into. There was nothing on the back, nor was there anything on the bottom. "I can't find where to plug it in."
Maddox walked over to help her, quickly scanning the large machine for a place that would take a core of some sort. He smiled, as he found what he was looking for. It was on top; which was something Gaige wasn't quite tall enough to notice. "It's up here." Maddox said as he climbed on top of the machine. Gaige handed him the AI core, and he plugged it in.
Maddox got off of the Constructor as it sprung to life. "This things feels and moves like an obese turtle. Now you must die!" The Constructor aimed towards Gaige as it charged its laser. Maddox moved quickly; pushing her out of the way just in time. However, the laser struck Maddox. For a while his modified skin was able to handle the focused intense heat, but Gaige knew that even his reinforced body wouldn't withstand it forever. Gaige quickly climbed back onto the Constructor and reached the core and yanked it out with all of her might. The Construtor shut off and its laser stopped firing. "I'm sorry, I did not want to attack you. I don't know why I attacked you. Will you still help me find a new body?"
Gaige didn't answer the robot and ran to Maddox's side, setting the core down. Maddox's skin was blackened from the laser, but just as quickly as it had been burned on it began to rapidly heal back to normal. "It attacked you, so it's your call if we try again with it." Gaige told him while he looked over his arm. Maddox looked at the core a short moment of distrust appeared in his eyes, but it eventually subsided.
"Let's give it another chance."
Gaige slowly nodded and picked the core back up. Maya silently followed the younger two. "I detect an offline WAR Loader. Perhaps because it is similar to my old chassis, I will have more control of my actions."
"Aren't those a little more dangerous?" Maya finally spoke up.
"Yea, but I think we can trust it." Maddox restated.
"It tried to kill Gaige and then you."
"I know."
They found the shutdown loader and this time Gaige found the core slot. She put the core into its spot and the Loader springed to life. Then it began to unleash a barrage at Maya. Maya barely made it into cover before her shields broke. Gaige and a Maddox began shooting the legs of the Loader and pulled the core out. Maddox was winding up to throw the core over the edge but yet again it's voice cried out. "I'm sorry, I don't want to hurt you. Perhaps you should plug me in where it is impossible for me to harm you." Maddox pondered on this for a moment. Winding up yet again but this time Gaige snatched it out of his hand.
"The radio in Moxxi's bar. That's where we can put it." Gaige explained.
The three all walked towards the fast travel station. Maya was clearly mad at Maddox for trusting the machine. Zero and his group had already gotten back from their mission. Maya decided she was done for the day; she left to do her own thing. Maddox went with Gaige to put the AI core in the radio.
Gaige easily found a little port to plug the core into. The radio turned on and the AI spoke. "Die!" The radio began to blast this really awful music.
"Turn that off wouldja sugar." Moxxi shouted at them.
"Does this music demolish your will to live? Does it make you want to die?"
Maddox pulled the core out. "What do we do with it?"
"You have defeated me. I give up trying to kill you. I truly wish to help you now. You can make me into a shield or a gun."
Maddox and Gaige looked at each other and instantly agreed. It would be a gun with no control over the trigger.
See told you. Pretty much a drag the whole way through. The important part that came up was easy but also hard to spot. Maybe you found it and don't understand what the point of it is. Don't worry I'll get to a chapter where it'll make it really obvious. But that's a much later chapter. Like I'm talking after Defeating the Bunker it shows up. Anyways...
Inventory Update:
Axton
Spitter- Torgue AR
Acidic Droog- Vladof Sniper
Acidic Peacemaker- Pistol
Flame of the Firehawk Shield- Maliwan Legendary (Constant Fire Nova when completely depleted)
Sticky Longbow Electric Bettie- Dahl
Veteran Class Mod- Increased Reload speed and larger magazine
The Afterburner Relic- longer boost and faster recharge time.
Maya
Revolver-Jakob's Pistol
Acidic Subcompact MG- Hyperion SMG
Incendiary RokSalt - Unique Bandit Shotgun (Faster reload speed, better accuracy, higher damage, and faster fire rate)
Nova Shield- Torgue
Sticky Homing Acidic Standard Grenade- Tediore
Nurse Class Mod- faster team health regeneration
Salvador
Electronic Room Clener- Bandit Shotgun
Electronic Renegade- Vladof AR
Acidic Punishment- Maliwan Launcher
Standard Shield- Tediore
Rubberized Weakened Transfusion Grenade- Maliwan
Beast Class Mod- more health and faster reload
Elemental Relic- boost fire damage
Zero
Sniper - Dahl Sniper
Incendiary Fighter- Vladof Pistol
Electronic Spread- Tediore Launcher
Explosive Spike Shield- Torgue
Weakened Rubberized MIRV Grenade- Torgue
Sniper- More Sniper rifle damage and more critical sniper damage and less shield capacity
Protection Relic- Increase Shield Capacity and faster recharge rate
Gaige
No Change in Inventory
Krieg
Weakened Wellness- Hyperion SMG
Acidic Launcher- Tediore Launcher
Shotgun 1340 - Unique Hyperion Shotgun (It talks)
Electronic Nova Shield- Maliwan
Longbow Acidic Effect Grenade- Vladof
Torch Class Mod- more burn damage
Maddox
Blaaa- Torgue Launcher
Acidic Projectile Convergence- Hyperion SMG
Electronic Stret Sweper- Bandit Shotgun
Explosive Spike Shield- Torgue
Lobbed Acidic Effect Grenade- Vladof
Slicer Class Mod- plasma blades consume less energy