Chapter 2: Killing bandits and starting the hunt

I look at the mirror. I see myself, Stark white hair with blue and purple highlights, covered in blood, fresh and dried. The dried and fresh blood that's leaking is of different colors, though of Teal, Violet, and of Silver, all different and showing up clearly.

My right eye, looking like a nebula of blue and purple swirling around a black vertical pupil, my left completely black minus the orange glow that looks like flames coming out of the vertical pupil.

My face has a cut going down the left side of it, even going through my eye though seeing a glow of fire and it has already healed leaving a lighting bolt patterns scar. My jaw has a metal casing around the bottom part with 2 metal canines prominent with incisors in between them. The metal also extends to my ears and up into my head.

My face had splatters and lines of blood, fresh and dried, blood of mine and my enemies. I was wearing a hospital suit, sweatpants with no drawstrings, an oversized shirt that seems to make me smaller and worn out socks with the grippe's on the bottom. All of them had holes and cuts all over it. Most everything was stained in blood with parts of my body still visibly bleeding. Some stopped and you could see a white and purple glow coming from them.

After a bit of staring and looking at yourself and the dull scalpel in your right hand. I need something, so I move my left arm over the sink and flip it over. I move the dull scalpel over the underside of my left arm currently flipped out to the ceiling. I need to feel it and as I pull the knife over my arm. I can see the blood welling up and dripping, see the veins on your arms start glowing white and purple, and everything finally starts feeling whole. The pain just a familiar friend from a different hard time. The only friend that you ever had and that has kept by your side over all your bad times and even most of your good.

Just when the arm fully heals but still shows the scars on my arm and I don't feel that familiar friend, I go in for another swipe and stick the scalpel in, to fell the constant and only friend in your hard times, the door bursts open and all I see are men armed in full body protective gear and gas masks that had a red light to them in the eyes. You think, 'my demons came back for me,' before I hear several thumps and everything starts to go black.

All I can think, 'why, why can't you just let me go.' I see the logos on the peoples clothes and armor as they're talking. That's funny, its not Hydra, but a symbol of a triangle, a circle, and a line all in one. Their is also a metal man with a 2 white skulls on his black armor coming over and picking me up. Before I can think anymore, everything goes black and I fall into Morpheus's grasp.

——

(Pandora, Start of borderlands 1)

I was sleeping on the bus with all the rest of them when Marcus spoke, "All right back there, time to wake up! It's a beautiful day, full of opportunity!

Next stop: Fyrestone Depot. Time to gather up your stuff! Who's gettin' off the bus? You with the sniper rifle and the crazy mask? You look like a Truxican Wrestler moonlighting as a dominatrix, man. And you, soldier man? Are those armor pieces from the Crimson Lance you're wearing? And what's your story, young lady? What can you do? Perhaps you can bake us all a wonderful cake, haha! And you, girl with a gas mask full of smoke smelling of blood, death, and weed. What are you going to do, smoke away the bandits? And you, beef stick in the back... I'm not going to make fun of you. Your burps smell of blood, and you growl like a rabid animal."

I looked at all the others as he introduced each of us to each other while also making fun of us. I could see the siren tattoos on the girl. Everyone looked at me when my turn came up. I'm hiding my tattoos under my clothing. I'm a bit smaller than everyone else as I am 5' 8" while everyone is bigger than me, even the other women who 6'1. The domanatrix looks about the same while the soldier looks about 6' 3" and the mass of muscle looks about 6' sitting down. If I had to guess he would be about 7' if not bigger with muscle stacked on him everywhere. He looked like a slab of meat.

"Anyway... I've got some advice for all of you. It's tough out there, and you won't be able to just beat up on whatever you please until you're ready. Sure, you can take from the bandits or find things in the wild, but equipment you buy from my stores are guaranteed! And if you die, you can't get your money back because you're dead! I kid! No need to be so serious here. And if you're looking for the Vault, well, you're going to have your work cut out for you. So don't be afraid to spend what it takes to get the equipment you need. You listen to Marcus. I come from seven generations of merchants and I'm the best. Want to know why? Cause I'm making it out here, in this place!"

I was waiting when I get a psychic message, it said, "Don't be alarmed, I need you to stay calm and don't let on that anyone is talking to you. Start making your way off the bus. You don't have any reason to trust me but I need you to believe that I'm here to guide you, I'm here to help guide you to the vault. In a moment you'll be greeted by a funny little robot. Do everything he says. You'll know what I mean when it happens. I'll contact you again soon."

Then it cut out. I had to suppress my tears I was starting to get and build up while she was talking. He power most have grew but she was still being help by our father. He must have a plan or a play in the field. She didn't even recognize or remember me. Though I have withheld my identity or made a fake one. That must be what she believe me.

"Well, we're here. Don't worry about saying goodbye. I'm sure we'll be doing this all again soon enough. Haha... get off my bus."

After Marcus said that we all got off in a line. We turned back and Marcus drove off. Behind the bus was a robot that said, "See ya next time," in a voice that makes me want to strangle cats while bashing my head into hard metal. Then he continued laughing before walking in front of us.

"Welcome to Fyrestone. I am CL4P-TP, you may call me by my locally designated name, 'Claptrap.' Before continuing, please accept these ECHO communications device and heads up display provided free of charge by the DAHL Corporation."

The four took one each while I waved him off and saying, "I have my own."

The four hooked them up and then Claptrap continued, "Great, I detect that your ECHO devices are fully functioning. This way please." We moved a bit before Claptrap mentioned towards a tall device and he added, "Step right up, this right here is a New-U Station. When you use this device your DNA profile is automatically identified and stored. Please active the New-U Station."

We all registered and the Claptrap continued, "Excellent! Now that your DNA is registered, you have the best horrific death and dismemberment insurance. Should and unfortunate fatal incident occur, your new you will appear at the nearest station. Now we can head to the peaceful town of Fyrestone. I'll lead the way." He left and we followed. We arrived in front of a metal gate when Claptrap started punching bottoms. After a bit we heard the roar of a motor.

"What is that? Oh no, not again. Runnnnn!" He was being a little bitch and fled. A vehicle that I think is runner jumped over us and over the gate into the town. Two more followed it and they are shooting at us.

All five of us shoot at the runners and they drove off deeper into Fyrestone after doing some donuts. Their was a huge explosion that caused us to stop shooting and Claptrap asked, "Are, are they gone? Whew, those bandits really have it in for us Claptraps. Using us for target practice is not part of our programming. Anddddd open! Yes," like he was happy that he actually got it to open.

We went in and cleared them out. We had to face them as they were surrounding a house with a first aid station or at leas the equivalent. We attacked and I watched as the slab of meat called Brick, when he introduced himself, crush a man's skull like it was a grape. He had red mist the looked and smelled like a blood mist surround him while his eyes turned into just black. He looked like a demon or berserker incarnate. The other woman was turning intangible and tangible while moving around while shooting and spreading fire all around. The soldier set up a turret that was mowing the bandits down while also healing is. It was also targeting the bandit vehicles and more specifically their tires and then at the bandits. The sniper's bird was slashing throats while the actual sniper was taking headshots on each of them.

I had my advanced gun out and was just letting loose a wall of flak through my gun. It was a special one of the Vladof corporation I got as a gift from the CEO when I found his sister for him. I just gave him her location as well and he saw me handsomely rewarded after I spent a few billion on materials from their section of space as well as a couple Iron Bears. It was a legendary gun that they were having a hard time producing more of and it was one of the few that were produce by the original gunsmith as the last of his line. Mine, I modified so that I can change the elemental configuration though I have to change the bullets with them. Mine I currently have it as explosive though I know that Vladof will limit it to one element so that it can use any bullets.

We eliminated them all and are in front of run down building with a bit of an overhang. Apparently we completed somthing because Claptrap handed out some cash to each of us and we started looking some loot. I found a red crate when Claptrap came up to me and the others crowded around the crate. Their was only two pistols, one with a scope and one with out and both were white quality. I just let them fight over it but took the ammo that the crate had. Their were other crates around with guns as well that we all looked over, even some that was on the runners of the bandits.

After we finished eliminating the bandits, Angel spoke to us. Only after finding the one bandit hiding that had a bullet in the gut and was dying. I slit his throat in one quick motion that may or may not have took of his whole head with it with its monomolecular blade.

"Excellent, I knew you were the right people for the job, friends. Now go, I'll contact you soon." She exited our minds again and I fell a pang of sorrow and regret, I could feel her pain through it even though she can't show the rest of us.

Then we meet Dr Ned, after Claptrap screamed in his annoying voice, "Attention citizens of Fyrestone, their is no cause for alarm, this new visitors has resolved your problems."

He led us to a house where over the intercoms on it said, "Well shoot, I thought I was a goner that time. Damn bandits won't leave us alone. Had to lock the place up tight. I'll let ya in. Come on! Damn it! Blasted circuits are on the fritz again. Give it a go from the switch out their would ya?"

Brick just came up to it and punched it. Not hard enough to break it but still mess with it so that it works. It started working and Brick just shouted, "HELL YEAH!" Though I just think it is his normal voice. He does have the vibe of guns, explosions, and murder all wrapped in one but it he might be a softie inside of his meat suit, never know.

The doctor spoke, "Thanks fer openin' her up again. Name's Zed. They still call me 'doctor', even though they don't let me cut on folks anymore. I keep the med vendors 'round here up and runnin'. From the vendors you can buy all the healin' you could ever want from a real doc." He isn't a real doctor but he heals, he is the best on this gutter world of a planet and that's good, everyone need a little.