Chapter 31: The joy of the wicked is short-lived
Maxwell was fully dressed in his pilot suit, lying on the bed in a relaxed posture, feeling rejuvenated after fooling around with Moxxi in the shower. Taking advantage of the time until Moxxi finished dressing and left the bathroom, Maxwell opened the system panel, finally noticing the notification he had forgotten for a long time.
Quest: Prove yourself. (Complete 100%)
(X) Beat Hell-Burbia
(X) Be the first in kill counts
(X) Don't get hurt
[Depositing rewards...]
50[C] x 1.5 = 75[C]
+75[C]
Credits: 138
"Wait a minute, can you put my rewards in my ECHO?" Maxwell asked the system. It would be more convenient to take his things out of the ECHO, avoiding any suspicions about objects materializing out of thin air without Digistruck.
[Analyzing free space on the SD...]
[Calculating the space occupied by rewards]
[Enough space! Depositing rewards in the ECHO storage unit.]
x1 Smart Pistol MK6 (Blueprint)
x10 Battery
x1 Wattson clothes
"Okay, I got some good stuff." Maxwell took the blueprint out of the ECHO, flipping through the blue pages, each page detailing every part of the gun. "I just hope the ammunition isn't too hard to manufacture."
"It would be a good idea to start accumulating batteries before making Titans. I'll need to give some to Tannis for reverse engineering, or I'll end up buying a blueprint."
"Hmm… I think Angel would look good in Wattson's clothes," muttered Maxwell.
"Were you saying something, dear?" Moxxi stepped out of the bathroom, her hair still damp as she casually dried it with a towel.
"Just thinking out loud." Maxwell replied with a short smile as he got up from the bed. He adjusted his pilot suit and walked out of the room, feeling he'd left Angel alone for too long.
"Don't you want to share?" Moxxi asked, tossing the towel onto the bed and hurrying to catch up with him. Naturally, she grabbed one of Maxwell's arms, nestling it against her body. The intentional contact caused her chest to press lightly against him, a provocation she knew was impossible to ignore.
"Just some projects." Maxwell let out a low sigh, the corner of his mouth curving into a resigned smile. No woman would like to know that her man was thinking about another girl right after they had sex.
He paused for a moment and, without saying anything else, handed his ECHO to her. It was easier to let Moxxi see for herself than to waste time explaining.
As Moxxi examined the Storage Deck, her expression shifted from curiosity to visible astonishment when she found something specific. "Well, well… what do we have here?" she murmured, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she pulled out the Smart Pistol blueprint.
Maxwell, noticing the change on her face, stopped and turned to face her. "Did you find something useful?"
"Useful? Darling, this is more than useful. It's a goldmine!" she said, tilting her head at him with a mischievous smile. "Imagine civilians buying into the promise of aiming like a seasoned soldier. How much do you think they'd pay for such a product?"
Maxwell shrugged. "It's not a weapon for civilian use. Even though it requires a pilot's helmet to operate, it could still fall into the hands of other corporations if sold to civilians. They could easily reverse-engineer it. It'll only be given to my trained pilots."
Maxwell already knew that the technology wouldn't be groundbreaking in a decade's time, but that was in a timeline where he didn't exist. With his plans to buy Atlas, Rhys wouldn't be acquiring the company and introducing lock-on technology.
Ouroboros would be the only corporation with such technology unless other corporations found a Vault with something similar. But he had many cards up his sleeve, so Smart Aim would only be a minimal loss.
He stepped forward, extending his hand to retrieve the ECHO.
But Moxxi quickly hid the device behind her, sticking out her tongue. "You and your pilots. You still haven't told me what makes someone a true pilot. Why all the mystery?"
"It's a surprise. You'll love it." Maxwell approached and hugged Moxxi, but his hands moved downward.
Moxxi smiled, moving the ECHO further away, but gasped in surprise when Maxwell grabbed her backside firmly, making her rise onto her toes. She noticed his obsession with her ass and realized she might need to plan on buying lubricants.
She sighed but couldn't hide a small smile. "Come on, just give me a hint."
"No."
Moxxi groaned in frustration while Maxwell seized the moment to take the ECHO back.
"Just one unit wouldn't be so bad. I'll even put a tracker on the weapon." Moxxi refused to admit defeat, pouting and crossing her arms.
Maxwell raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious. "Do you know how to handle weapons, or is this just curiosity?"
"I've always loved disassembling and reassembling weapons in my teenage years, even if it annoyed the clan members," she huffed, recalling the Hodunks. "I guess they never liked me anyway. Who names their daughter with a name often used for cows… and what the hell is a cow?"
"*Puff*" Maxwell tried to suppress a laugh, nearly choking in the process.
Moxxi stared at him, narrowing her eyes.
"What's so funny, dear? You seem to know what a cow is!"
"No, I don't know anything, honey. I just remembered a joke."
"Has anyone ever told you that you're terrible at lying?"
"..."
"You won't hit me if I say?"
"Maybe not." Moxxi responded with a smile that was anything but reassuring.
Maxwell closed his eyes, entering deep thought.
"Well, cows are large animals, they eat grass, produce lots of milk, go *muuuu*, and—"
Moxxi interrupted. "Wait! So my name is literally something that goes *muuu*? Fantastic… now I have a valid reason to destroy the Hodunks."
"Is that what stopped you from destroying them before?"
Moxxi paused, caught off guard by the question. The Hodunks had done so many terrible things to her, so much deprivation she endured, so many sleepless nights. Why had she never sought revenge?
"It's complicated." Moxxi lowered her head, recalling her children running and playing carefree, oblivious to the sinister customs and traditions of the Hodunks.
Two large arms wrapped around her, and feeling comforted, she rested her forehead against Maxwell's chest.
"Have you ever created a weapon?" Maxwell changed the subject, sensing that everything related to the clan and her children left her in a spiral of thoughts.
"Almost," she replied, lifting her head with a confident air, though her slightly red eyes betrayed her inner state. "One of my masterpieces was a Maliwan revolver called Rubi. It was a common piece before I got my hands on it. I turned that weapon into something as lethal as it was beautiful."
"Can I see it?" Rubi had been one of his favorite weapons when he played Borderlands 2, though he didn't expect the weapon to have something like life steal.
Moxxi squirmed in Maxwell's arms.
"I lost it."
"Oh!" Maxwell wanted to slap his forehead. He had forgotten that Mordecai had found the weapon. He needed to have a conversation with the skinny sniper.
*Rumble*
Moxxi's face turned as red as a tomato, trying to escape Maxwell's embrace.
"I think you should eat something before making any big moves."
"Yes," she replied, trying to hide her embarrassment.
The next few hours passed at a relaxed pace as Moxxi took on the task of preparing something to eat. Luckily for them, some of the Odyssey's rooms had their own kitchens, even if they were barren.
"This place looks more deserted than a ghost town at high noon." Moxxi remarked, opening and closing cabinets to find nothing but kitchen utensils.
"I have some supplies with me," Maxwell replied, pulling a large box from the ECHO. "Some fresh food, canned goods, and boxes of MREs."
Moxxi rolled her eyes at the last part. "Military rations? Darling, do you think I'm going to serve something that feels like rubber and tastes like cardboard?"
Maxwell shrugged, placing the box on the counter. "I'm not very picky. I ate a lot of those with a friend of mine, so I guess I got used to it."
"If you want a decent meal, stay out of the kitchen until I'm done." Moxxi rolled up her sleeves, washing her hands at the sink before unpacking everything from Maxwell's ECHO.
"Understood, chef," Maxwell replied, stepping back to let Moxxi work.
As she rummaged through the ingredients, Moxxi shrugged and started improvising. She decided to make soup, it was simple but nutritious. Using the meat from the MREs as a base, she chopped up some fresh vegetables Maxwell had brought, seasoning with basic spices she found. Grabbing a pot from the cabinets, she filled it with tap water, turned on the stove, and waited for the water to boil before tossing in the ingredients one by one.
Maxwell relaxed in a nearby chair, glancing at her between tabs on his system. The vegetables were from Outer Heaven, and Tannis had verified there were no traces of the zombie virus, making them safe to eat.
After some time, the aroma of something delicious began to fill the room.
Moxxi served two steaming bowls and sat at the table, watching Maxwell take the first spoonful after blowing on it. He paused, eyes widening for a moment, then nodded.
"You should open a restaurant," Maxwell joked, pointing at her with his spoon.
"You want me to hang up my heels and stay stuck in the kitchen?" Moxxi raised an eyebrow.
As Maxwell and Moxxi were finishing their meal, Angel's angelic voice echoed through the ship's speakers.
"We've arrived at the destination. Odyssey is hovering a few meters above Sanctuary. Some idiots are shooting at us; the shields are already up, and the artillery is ready as a countermeasure."
Moxxi looked up, curious, before turning to Maxwell. "Is that the AI of the Odyssey? It sounds almost human."
Maxwell shook his head, setting his spoon aside and tilting the bowl to drink the broth. "No, that's not the ship's AI. It's Angel. She's a Siren I met some time ago, and she's part of the crew now."
Moxxi blinked, surprised. "A Siren? And she works with you?"
"Not exactly works for me," Maxwell replied, his voice taking a more serious tone. "She's been through a lot. I intend to help her gain freedom and live a normal life."
"And kiss me when he finds me," Angel said, her voice soft and almost angelic.
"..."
Maxwell's face turned stiffly toward Moxxi, sweat forming on his forehead.
Moxxi propped her chin on her hand, a teasing smile on her face. "Ho-ho?"
"So, darling," she began, her voice sickly sweet and dangerous, "are you handing out kisses while saying you're helping Sirens gain freedom?"
Maxwell opened his mouth to respond, just to close it. He scratched the back of his neck, inwardly swearing to spank Angel's butt when he found her.
"It's not like that..."
"Not like that?" Moxxi repeated, raising an eyebrow and tapping her fingers lightly on the table.
Maxwell's shoulders slumped. This was the downside of having a harem. It was time to deploy some Talk-no-Jutsu, though he didn't have time to say a single word before feeling a familiar weight.
Sitting on Maxwell's lap and leaning close to his ear, Moxxi whispered in a low voice.
"What are your intentions with the two of us?" Moxxi purred, her nails lightly grazing the skin of his neck.
Maxwell looked deeply into Moxxi's eyes, speaking with conviction.
"Make you two the happiest women in six galaxies, have beautiful children, and a threesome every night."
"So you've chosen death!" Moxxi placed her hands on Maxwell's waist and...
started tickling him, catching the poor apex predator off guard.
"AHHAHAHA NO! MERCY! AHAHHAHA" Maxwell squirmed in the chair, trying to escape Moxxi's grasp.
"HAHA PLEASE STOP HAHAHA I GIVE UP!" Maxwell fell to the floor with Moxxi, even in such torture taking care not to hurt her.
Angel, utterly baffled while still monitoring the conversation, intervened before Maxwell could pass out.
"Maxwell is being sincere, Moxxi. I'm sure his intentions are true," Angel said urgently, seeing Maxwell losing his breath. "It's my fault for trying to mess up your relationship. Don't be mad at him!"
"Don't try to save this scoundrel, or you'll be next, sweetheart." Moxxi got up, allowing Maxwell to finally breathe. "I'm not mad. He's too honest and silly for me to stay mad."
"That's not what you said when I smash you from behind!" Maxwell would go down firing, he wouldn't be defeated so easily.
Moxxi's face turned toward Maxwell, lying on the floor. The man raised his hands in surrender.
"How old is she?" Moxxi sighed, extending a hand to help Maxwell up.
"I don't know, maybe under 20."
"I'll be 17 at the end of this year."
"..."
"You're going to jail."
"But I am the police!"
"Do you like roleplay and have handcuffs?"
"No, but I'm not against trying something new."
*Sexual noises*
Angel was horrified to see the couple whispering obscenities, in several places she was mentioned too. She was about to escape one layer of hell to enter another.
_____________
An imposing ship landed smoothly on the orbital platform of Promethea, its metallic sheen reflecting the vibrant lights of the star-city below, revealing the ship's logo:
Atlas Corporation
The hum of the engines dissipated as a man descended the ramp, the firm sound of his boots echoing. He appeared to be in his fifties, with short graying hair and an eyepatch over his left eye, marked with the symbol of a red lance.
With a cigar between his teeth, he exhaled a dense cloud of smoke before tossing it to the ground and crushing it under his boot.
"Commander Knoxx, it's good to see you in good health." A young Atlas officer, standing stiffly at attention, greeted him before turning to a soldier next to Knoxx.
"What's the status of the Hyperion station? Any suspicious activity in the last few days?"
The soldier saluted. "Nothing, sir. The Hyperion station continues to operate within normal parameters, with no signs of unusual activity. It seems to be entering its final stages."
The officer fell silent for a moment, analyzing the report while adjusting his reading glasses.
"And what about Elpis? How did the incursion go?"
"We found no excavation activity."
The officer scoffed, his expression hardening. "No excavation or resource extraction activity from Dahl? Did our patrols fail their assignments?"
"That seems to be the case, sir. We found no signs of clandestine operations or excavation. Just debris and parts of the destroyed fleet, nothing has changed since The Crackening event. No additional movement."
"What are the Lance Assassins doing here?" Knoxx interrupted, spotting a group of women in black-and-red uniforms, each with red blades strapped to their waists. He furrowed his brow, watching the Lance Assassins stand motionless in front of his ship.
Both men turned to Knoxx. No one dared to reprimand him for the interruption.
"Orders from the higher-ups, sir." The officer's back began to sweat, quietly cursing his misfortune at being the one to deliver the news.
"Orders from whom?"
"Admiral Mikey, sir."
"..."
"What are the orders?"
"You and your division are being sent to Pandora due to Steele's recent inaction."
"And they decided to send the Lance Assassins along?" Knoxx ran a hand over his face. He didn't care which planet he was deployed to, he'd been through worse. But sending specialized soldiers trained for capture, espionage, and assassination to an arid desert was peak idiocy.
"They concluded that anyone having dealt with Steele had to be treated with extreme caution, elite forces would be the best choice."
"Then send a SITREP to Pandora. Don't they see that Atlas has more urgent matters to handle than babysitting a Siren?" Knoxx began to feel irritated, pulling another cigar from his pocket and lighting it. "Weren't those old farts kissing Steele's ass about her Siren powers and how much potential she had?"
The officer swallowed hard but maintained his composure. "We already sent one after Steele stopped sending reports for forty-eight hours, but the squad we deployed also stopped responding. It's been almost a month since we've had any updates on Pandora."
Knoxx tried to take another drag, but realized that it had started to rain. Throwing his cigar aside, he began to walk away, looking for answers and leaving the agent to talk to himself.
"I hate nepotism."
Chapter 32: Way to fall
After finishing their meal, Maxwell and Moxxi headed to the Odyssey's Upper Deck, where the fighters and jets landed on the runway. The strong wind ruffled their clothes and hair.
"Even from up here, Sanctuary looks massive. I really can't rely entirely on my knowledge," Maxwell commented, his eyes fixed on the city below.
"Well, you can't expect less from a corporation. Anyway, I'll start working on the Marvins." Moxxi kissed Maxwell on the cheek before stepping away. "Have fun down there, but try not to get yourself killed."
Maxwell touched the spot where she kissed him, feeling lucky that Moxxi was as perverted as he was and grateful for Angel's innocence in tolerating sharing the same man. The world of Borderlands wasn't a Xianxia or a setting where polygamy was common, so he felt reassured about the chances of dating the female characters he admired.
Shaking his head, Maxwell stopped daydreaming and turned his attention to Sanctuary, his mood souring quickly as he observed the place infested with a clan of criminals.
Sanctuary's bandits relentlessly fired at the Odyssey. Bullets, rockets, and grenades exploded against the ship's shields, causing no significant damage. But even an ant's bite could irritate, and Maxwell's patience was running thin.
"Angel," Maxwell murmured, his jaw clenched. "Enough playing around with them. Use the light artillery. Fire without worrying about the buildings. I don't need all of Sanctuary, just the excavator machine underneath the city."
Two rotary cannons emerged from the sides of the ship, their multiple barrels spinning with a threatening hum. Within seconds, they reached maximum speed and unleashed a storm of fire and metal.
*BRRRRRR*
The barrage of bullets rained down on the bandits below, the deafening sound echoing across the area. The weapons adjusted their angles automatically, relentlessly tracking targets and turning any threat into dust and debris.
"Holy crap, that's light artillery?" Maxwell could only imagine the devastation the heavier cannons would cause.
"According to the ship's database, it's light artillery—Avenger 20mm Vulcan cannons used against aircraft and armored vehicles. The smaller aircraft handle minor targets."
"Goodness, Angel, 20mm rounds are the size of my hand." A bead of sweat formed on Maxwell's forehead.
Seeing that enough damage had been done to the enemy ranks, Maxwell wanted to take advantage of the chaos and dust that had been stirred up.
"Cease fire."
"Max, there are still bandits down there—" Angel couldn't understand why Maxwell wanted to stop. They just needed to keep firing for a few more minutes, and she was sure she could wipe them all out.
"This kind of ammunition isn't cheap, girl. I'll handle the rest." Maxwell walked to the edge of the Odyssey's upper deck, the strong wind blowing his hair back as he surveyed the chaos below. Black smoke rose from flaming debris, and the screams of injured bandits still echoed through the ruins.
Donning his helmet, Maxwell stepped forward, gravity doing the rest.
"I think you're turning into an adrenaline junkie." Angel mentally rolled her eyes, they had dropships on the Odyssey.
The wind roared around him as he fell, but Maxwell was calm. He began laughing before spinning in the air. He performed a sideways pirouette followed by a perfect backflip, each move synchronized with the wind's roar.
The Jumpkit mounted on his back and waist activated at the exact moment, the thrusters emitting a bluish glow as they stabilized his descent. What should have been a deadly impact turned into a smooth landing, with Maxwell rolling to dissipate the remaining momentum.
The bandits were stunned. Some froze mid-action, staring at Maxwell as if he were a supernatural entity, a chill running down their spines. Maybe it was the adrenaline, but they swore they saw Maxwell's eyes glowing red.
He drew his Wingman from his waist, spinning it stylishly before pulling the trigger, sending the hammer crashing down on the primer and propelling deadly metal slugs. Each shot was a perfect hit skulls exploding, bodies collapsing, blood and gunpowder filling the air.
"RAAAAHHH!" A Psycho emerged from the wreckage, leaping with his sawblade axe raised high above his head for a fatal strike.
Maxwell snorted before vanishing.
"HUH? HE DISAPPEARED!"
A chill ran across the Psycho's neck. The sharp pain made him aware of the jet of blood flowing from the wound. He clutched the cut with both hands, the blood filling his mouth and choking him.
Maxwell blew the smoke from the Wingman's barrel before holstering it. The dust was still thick, but his minimap detected no hostile movement.
"Angel," Maxwell called, his tone devoid of any joy from the massacre. "The area is secure. Lower the ship. I'll look for the entrance in the meantime."
...
A few hours later.
A line of Marvins, perfectly aligned service robots, marched out of the Odyssey. Their mechanical footsteps beat steadily as the sun gleamed off their freshly polished frames.
"You know, this is pretty impressive, though I think they'd look better in red," Moxxi began, breaking the silence. "Anyway, how exactly do you plan to mine without the Vault open? You said the Vault needs to be open for this Eridium to surface."
"We still need resources for construction and repair," Maxwell crossed his arms. "I also plan to start manufacturing ammunition to save money in the long run. How are our reserves?"
"It's true," Moxxi sighed, adjusting her helmet. "Considerably reduced. It's not like we have an infinite stock of rare materials around here. And these toys don't come cheap, Max."
Maxwell shrugged, shaking his head as he watched the Marvins disappear toward the excavator. "They'll be worth every gram of resource invested. These guys will handle the heavy lifting while we focus on other matters."
"Speaking of which," Maxwell continued, turning his attention to Moxxi, "how's the programming on the Marvins? Everything working as planned?"
"Angel's a genius when it comes to programming and technology. I didn't even need to get my hands dirty this time. She practically did everything herself, and I just watched. Honestly, I don't know what we'd do without her." Moxxi chuckled softly, placing a hand on her hip.
"Really? Huh, glad to hear you two are getting along." Maxwell smiled, even though Moxxi couldn't see it through his helmet. He turned, heading into the Odyssey.
"Follow me. I think it's time to show you the Titans. I don't have the blueprints yet, but I've got the simulator ready."
Moxxi raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile forming on her painted-red lips. "Oh, so we're finally getting to see these Titans. You sure know how to keep a girl curious, Max. Let's see what you've got!"
Maxwell led Moxxi to the training hangar, instructing her to enter one of the simulators. The simulator's doors closed as she pulled the lever.
Bright white lights appeared, and Moxxi looked curiously at one of them. The light seemed to notice her gaze, blinking before disappearing.
"Before we start, we need to calibrate the machine so you'll be comfortable. Look at all the lights, using only your head movements."
Understanding the task, Moxxi looked at one of the lights until they all turned off.
"How are you feeling?" Maxwell's voice echoed in Moxxi's helmet.
"I'm okay, you can continue."
"Alright. Initializing Neural Link. It won't be the same as with a Titan, but it'll be a good start for both of us."
*Buzz* *Buzz* *Buzz*
Moxxi squinted as two green lights scanned her body before aiming directly at her eyes. She felt her body gradually go numb until she lost all sensation, and her vision turned completely white.
"UGH." Moxxi blinked, her vision adapting to the new environment. She was in a roofless room, the sun providing pleasant warmth while the surrounding cherry trees cast cool shadows. Some leaves fell into a small stream to her left, lazily carried by the current.
"This is incredible, isn't it? If I didn't know it was a simulation, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference from real life."
Lowering her gaze, she saw Maxwell sitting on a long orange beam that stretched across both walls. What she didn't expect to see was a girl with long black hair wearing a flowing white dress sitting a bit farther away, dipping her feet into the water. She looked like a delicate creature. Small and slender, with big, innocent blue eyes.
"Yes, it's a beautiful place. I thought the simulations would take place in a more military-like setting." Moxxi approached, sitting between the two. "I feel better here, my back pain is gone, and I can breathe more easily."
"Well, these aren't our real bodies, so we don't have any disabilities or illnesses," Maxwell said, blowing a few cherry blossoms off his shoulder, a sense of guilt growing in his chest. "I'll arrange for your Regeneration as soon as possible, but I'll provide the best nanites I can get for you after we're done here."
"I'm practically a grandma, I can wait." Moxxi waved her hand dismissively, though she couldn't fully grasp everything he was saying. She knew it was something valuable. Turning, she looked at the girl, knowing it could only be one person.
"Angel? I didn't expect to see you here." Moxxi leaned over Angel. "Now I understand why Maxwell wants to save you. Such a beautiful and innocent girl, I want to hug you tightly!"
"Same here. I had to use all my willpower not to kiss those adorable lips."
"P-Pleased to meet you, M-Moxxi," Angel stammered, feeling shy under Moxxi's sincere gaze and Maxwell's affectionate one. It was the first time her true form had been seen.
"I was thinking— HMMM!?" Angel's eyes widened as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her head, smothering her against Moxxi's ample chest.
"So cute. You're young enough to be my daughter. Maxwell is an unforgivable pervert, corrupting such an innocent girl."
Maxwell rolled his eyes, feeling a twinge of jealousy toward Angel.
"Now, this place is called The Pilot's Gauntlet. It's where pilots take their first steps toward becoming capable of piloting a Titan."
"I would like to know if you want to take this path?"
"All pilots must go through the training, right? So I want to see how the best soldiers of our corporation will be made."
Angel takes advantage of the distraction and silently disappears, not wanting to call out to Moxxi.
"At your command, ma'am." Putting on his helmet, Maxwell gets up and begins jogging lightly. He could have used teleportation, but he preferred to serve as a reference for Moxxi.
Moxxi followed behind. Normally, running at this pace would have exhausted her, but her body felt unusually vigorous. Excited, she ran faster to catch up with Maxwell, who looked like a monkey running along the walls and sliding across the floor.
Moxxi finally catches up to Maxwell, who has stopped. Approaching him, she noticed part of the path was missing, leaving only a vertical wall connecting the way. The strangest thing was a stream defying gravity, continuing its flow up the wall.
"I guess I'll need to try that wall-running thing," Moxxi murmured. She had seen Maxwell running on walls in the Underdome, something even she thought was really cool.
"Don't worry about falling. You'll automatically respawn here. Good luck!" Maxwell jumps onto the wall, his jump kit leaving a trail along the way. He crosses effortlessly, waving at Moxxi from the other side.
"Okay, I can do this." Moxxi takes a deep breath and runs to gain momentum.
Jumping onto the wall, she recalls Maxwell's movements, trying to replicate them exactly. Her jump kit activates the instant her feet touch the wall. Her heart races, she's doing it!
*stumble*
Moxxi's feet get tangled, breaking her momentum. Gravity, unforgiving, pulls her down.
"KYAAA!"
"Uh?" Moxxi feels her vision shift; she was back at the starting point.
"Old dogs can't learn new tricks," Moxxi muttered, feeling a bit dejected. But seeing Maxwell wave from the other side renewed her determination. She tries again. After a few failures, she finally manages her first successful wall run.
*Clap* *clap* *clap* *clap*
"Congratulations! Using the jump kit can be tricky at first, but you did a great job." Maxwell applauds enthusiastically.
Moxxi was grateful the helmet hid her blush. She tapped Maxwell and took off running.
"Tag! You're it!"
"...Wait, I didn't know we were playing tag!"
"Eat dust!"
"Hahaha!"
The picturesque scene of the pair chasing each other, running along concrete walls, continued until they stopped in a large open room without a roof. At its center was a garden with a large sword embedded in the ground.
Suddenly, several weapon racks fell from the sky. Angel appeared again, her feet stepping on the grass, fingers curling at the funny sensation.
"Are these all Ouroboros weapons?" Moxxi hurried to the racks, her eyes sparkling. Each weapon looked more interesting than the last. "They seem inspired by Dahl and Vladof."
"Pick one. We're about to go through the pilot evaluation," Maxwell said, grabbing a CAR. He didn't need to take Moxxi to a firing range, she was as accurate with a gun as he was.
Moxxi appeared after a few minutes, holding an X-55 Devotion with an RE-45 Auto as her secondary weapon.
"How does this Pilot Evaluation work?"
"You have two minutes to complete the run. There will be some enemies you need to eliminate along the way. See you on the other side!" Maxwell punctuated his words before running off, his body disappearing as he entered.
"Uh, I've been through some clan wars. This shouldn't be too hard..."
...
A few minutes later, Moxxi emerged on the other side, looking worn out. During the run, she realized pilots didn't have one particular item that made a huge difference in a firefight.
A shield.
She had been hit multiple times by the enemies, shocking her even more with how realistic the pain felt.
"One minute and twelve seconds, not bad." Maxwell commented, seeing Moxxi's name appear on the board. Since they were the only two who had entered the Pilot's Gauntlet, there were only two names listed.
Moxxi raised her head, noticing she was in second place on the board. Her eyes moved higher, seeing Maxwell's name in the first place. What she hadn't expected was his time:
Ten seconds and thirty milliseconds.
"You've got to be kidding me," Moxxi muttered, doubting they had run the same course.
"If it's in the game, you use it," Maxwell shrugged. Octane used a grenade to win a race and lost his legs; why wouldn't he use that tactic in a simulation?
"Well, we've had our fun. Now let's get to the real deal. Angel! We need space."
"Alright~"
Moxxi's vision turned white again. She recovered faster this time. Looking around, she realized they had been transported to a plain. Grass and trees swayed in the breeze, with a few floating rocks scattered around.
A hand touched Moxxi's shoulder, and a soft whisper echoed in her ear.
"Do you see the interface for a large robot in the lower-left corner of your visor? Activate it to call your first Titan."
Moxxi did exactly as Maxwell instructed. A blue marker appeared on the grass, and a timer popped up slightly above the marked area.
"Standby for Titanfall!" Maxwell couldn't resist.
7.00
6.54
5.49
3.81
2.69
1.06
0.00
*SWOOOOOSH*
A sound of something slicing through the wind echoed. Moxxi looked up just in time to see a fiery object hurtling toward the designated spot. A huge dust cloud rose as the object struck the ground.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOM*
Slowly, the dust settled, revealing the monstrous colossus, the steel stallion, the harbinger of war.
The Titan.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Querubim_
Querubim_
Happy New Year, I've been enjoying my time with my family, I hope you've done the same rather than wasting time reading a fanfic.
Joking aside, I saw that the trailer for Borderlands 4 was released. I liked some of it, and hated most of the rest.
I was wondering about Siren, if she'll have Steele's powers, and if she'll be Emily Swan. I hope the writers at Gearbox don't let this go, it would be a shame to have a fanfic writer know more about the franchise than they do.
Time Keeper and the Psycho Queen look like they're going to have quite a war arc before I finish my fanfic. Yes, I consider that Borderlands 4 comes out before I complete my fanfic, because I'm aware of how slow the posting rate is.
and, did you see how Zane turned out? I was worried about poor Moxxi, she's going to be a grandma in Borderlands 4 :(
Anyway, I've finished watching Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and I couldn't find any fanfic. I think people hate science and philosophy.
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