Originally, I was going to have this chapter take up the entire first game, but then I realized there was a simpler story to tell with the beginning of the game. So here's something cute.

"Ok, any candidates today, Angel?" Jack asked. Angel couldn't see her father, but she knew he was likely hiding out behind his cubicle desk. It was strange how he was planning on taking over an entire planet, yet he still worked his day job. It seemed like something you would want to put more focus into.

Angel never brought it up. There were a lot of things she knew better than to bring up to her father.

Angel focused on Pandora. The handy thing about knowing Clyde was that she could easily tell where each Claptrap unit was. Using them as focus point helped her get a better view of the area. She made sure only to partially shift into each one. Any more and she would disturb Clyde.

While she did try to talk to him once ever few days (which quickly became seeing him every day), she realized that it would probably be better for both of them if her father never found about him. An unknown Hyperion AI would likely be seen as a threat to him, even if he wasn't one.

Angel was hesitant to call Clyde an AI. He claimed that he was a human, and Angel took his word for it. She had seen him in human form when they were younger. The only question she had was what state his body must be in for him to have no physical contact with the outside world for so many years.

She suddenly noticed a bus approaching Fyrestone. She was looking through one of the Claptrap units that was awaiting the bus's arrival.

"There are...four treasure hunters who arrived on a shuttle several hours ago. They are currently on a bus to Fyrestone." Angel reported.

"Great!" Her father exclaimed. "Now, say this to them: "Don't be alarmed…"

"CLAPTRAP DOWN! CLAPTRAP DOWN!" A few different Claptraps were shouting, running around the cloud. Clyde just sat patiently in the center of the circle of screaming Claptraps, emulating his silent annoyance.

Claptraps died out pretty quickly, since the were seen as target practice by the majority of the citizens of Pandora. What sucked about it to Clyde was that the Claptrap AI would stay in the cloud, meaning it would never leave him alone.

Clyde sighed and decided to check on the fallen unit. At least it would give him a break from having to put up with the other Claptraps.

He found himself looking at the sky. He recognized the gate to Fyrestone. This must have been the unit that met the bus. It wasn't really that unique.

At least, not to him.

Angel, however, had a soft spot for this Claptrap. It was weird. She always insisted that it was the cutest of the Claptraps, no matter how many times he pointed out that they were all identical. She also thought it was the funniest, despite the same argument he made before.

That girl had some weird taste. She claimed he was just jealous, which was ridiculous. There was no way he would be jealous of a dummy AI robot.

While he didn't personally care about the Claptrap, Clyde was worried about how Angel would react to learning her favorite Claptrap was busted.

Suddenly, someone large pulling the Claptrap upright. Clyde observed the four strange people looking over the Claptrap.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing, Lil?" The one in the mask asked.

"I can figure it out." The tattooed women, Lil apparently, said, as she played with the wires in the Claptrap unit.

"Easy, baby!" Clyde heard Claptrap say. "I'm sensitive there! You'll have to buy me dinner first!"

The look on Lil's face summarized the reason Clyde tried to avoid looking through the eyes of Claptraps. The looks of hatred and annoyance never bothered the robot, but Clyde never felt comfortable.

It also reminded him that he couldn't communicate with people through Claptrap units. He could never apologize for the stupid things they said. He could never explain himself. It was pretty lonely.

He was sometimes jealous at Claptrap for how robotic its emotions were. He would never feel shame for anything he did.

Clyde focused back on the strangers. Lil had decided not to work on Claptrap anymore, leaving the repairs to the soldier in the group. Clyde was suddenly wondering why they were even repairing the Claptrap unit to begin with.

Before Clyde could think more about it, the Claptrap unit suddenly sprung back to life.

Clyde felt a familiar presence rush into the unit, pushing him into the cloud.

Clyde and Angel both gasped as they fell into the cloud, Angel landing on top of Clyde. Luckily, they didn't hit any Claptrap AI's in their fall.

"Clyde!" Angel exclaimed. "Are you ok?"

"Well, I'm flattered you were in such a rush to see me." Clyde said. "You could have knocked or something."

"Usually I don't have to." Angel replied, getting up. "How about you just don't stand in front of the door? It's like you're a puppy waiting for me to come home."

"I was watching someone repair a Claptrap." Clyde replied. "I was wondering who would have hired someone to fix a Claptrap unit. I suspect you had something to do with it?"

"OK, I'll admit to playing favorites." Angel smiled. "He's just so cute! What would happen if he was destroyed?"

"Well, it'd still be here, for starters." Clyde replied. "And, if it wasn't, you could easily replace it. They're like goldfish."

"For someone who's spent so long looking over these AI, I'm surprised you can't tell the difference between them." Angel said in a mock-shock tone.

"You know how, if you say a word enough times over and over, it sound strange?" Clyde asked. "That feeling is Claptrap's personality."

"But he's cuddly!" Angel exclaimed.

"It's a metal box." Clyde said

"Clearly you've never cuddled a metal box." Angel said, smirking at him. "Someone jealous?"

"I bet I'm way cuddlier than a metal box." Clyde huffed.

"I'm sure you are." Angel replied, giggling as Clyde's face lit up.

Clyde groaned in annoyance and attempted to hide his blush before deciding to change the subject. "So who are these people you hired?"

Angel paused. Clyde wasn't sure why she always took a while to answer certain questions. Odds are she was just figuring out a way to explain it in a way he would understand it, given how smart she was.

"I've decided to take up Vault Hunting." Angel replied somewhat tensely. "I'm not directly, physically hunting for it, but I'm going to help this group of hunters find the Vault."

"Oh." Clyde replied, accepting her answer. "Sounds fun. Make sure you keep me up to date."

"I will." Angel said, relaxing a bit.

Looking back, Clyde was never sure why Angel thought she needed to hide what she was really doing from him. Maybe she didn't want him to be disappointed. Maybe she didn't trust him enough. Maybe she just wanted an escape from her normal life.

He was happy he was able to give whatever she needed.

All I really need is a picture of Angel cuddling Claptrap.

The next chapter will return us to were we left of with Claptrap's story, and the chapter after that will take place at the end of the first game and through the DLC.

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