[center][color=tan][h3]Courier 6[/h3][/color] [b]Level 2[/b] - (12/20) EXP [b]Location:[/b] 1-1, Ancient Gardens [b]Word Count:[/b] 1281[/center] Zer0’s words washed over Courier 6 as he ping ponged his thoughts to make heads or tails of the weird way the assassin spoke. Thankfully this time the flowery language was left at the door, leaving only the strange being’s syntax as the struggle to interpret. As far as the things 6 had heard Zer0 say, this time was refreshingly direct. Loyalty? The Courier was always willing to have another traveling companion. Badass? Heh, well yes, he supposed he [i]was[/i] pretty badass. Vault Hunter, well that he… Wait, the Hell was a Vault Hunter? [color=tan]”The hell is a Vault Hunt-What’s happening?”[/color] His attention shot back to the spirit in his grasp, which buckled and broke beneath his grip. The colors flowed outward and around, taking on new shape, malleability becoming solid substance. His eyes took it all in, the rainbow of color dulling into a bland paint job. He now held in his hand some sort of gun. Bigger than he was used to using, which could pose a problem, but a gun nonetheless. Two barrels, rotary action, he recognized what manner of weapon it was after only half a second of observation. [color=tan]”I’ll be damned,”[/color] he muttered, then spoke up for Zer0’s sake. [color=tan]”These spirits turn into loot when you break them! Hot damn! Now if this is what I think it is…”[/color] He played around with the weapon for a few seconds, turning it over in his hands, checking it over for any damage, following the mechanics. It seemed to lack any sort of ammo clip, magazine, belt, or feed. Even the rotating cylinder didn’t eject for reloads. Most peculiar. It also didn’t have any sort of power cell, so it didn’t appear to be an energy based weapon. That’s when his eye caught sight of a green meter along the side. Now what could that be? Well, whatever it was, time to test the weapon out. Hearing some grumbling and pitter patter nearby, the Courier turned to see more of those goblin and bokoblin creatures slowly making their way up the incline. They seemed to have been surprise that he detected them, almost as if they were trying to make a last ditch sneak attack on the pair of badasses. Not a good move on their part. He held up the weapon, looked down the sights, and pulled the primary trigger. [i]Thwoomp![/i] A projectile launched outward, landing in the midst of the creatures. It barely gave off a single beep before exploding, triggered by their proximity alone. They went flying, then dissolved and left behind little spirits just as their kin did. A few survived, albeit heavily injured, and slinked away instantly, wanting nothing more to do with the conflict. The Courier winced slightly, not so much at the carnage he had just created, but at the functionality of the weapon. [color=tan]”Dammit, I figured as much…”[/color] Once again he glanced at the little green meter, taking notice of how it had been partially depleted. However, very slowly, it was creeping back up. An internal power source with automatic recharge? The grenade launcher lacked any solar panels, so it couldn’t have been solar powered. How did it recharge, then? Energy didn’t just come from nowhere, it has to be transferred somehow! Curious, but ultimately disappointing to the Courier. [color=tan]”You want this loot?”[/color] he asked Zer0, holding it up. [color=tan]”I don’t like explosives. My world kinda, well, got blown up by nukes a few hundred years ago. Gives ya a weeeee little bit of a distaste for explosions.”[/color] Zer0’s helmet flashed with another image, this one a “0w0,” as he spoke. [I][b]"Explosives are not The kind of weapon I use Except the Norfleet."[/b][/I] 6 merely shrugged, barely bothering to spare a thought as to what this “Norfleet” could possibly be, and slung the grenade launcher over his back. No way was he just going to let it sit there for one of Galeem’s brainwashed flunkies to happen across. Maybe someone else in the group would be able to put it to better use? Speaking of which, they had reached the top of the canyon. The wastelander could see where all three of the paths intersected, and what’s more he could see the rest of the group moving forward, ahead without the two of them. [color=tan]”Damn, guess everyone is in a rush. No time to harvest all these little guys for loot. Hey, thanks for the assist, pardner. You’re a real badass too, and I got your back anytime.”[/color] Without another word, the Courier took off at a brisk running pace. They had to catch up with the others, especially with what looked to be a full blown war going on up ahead. [hr] The Courier ran past the various rabbit-like creatures, who for the most part all seemed to be doing their own things. None had attacked him, so he was content to live and let live. That meant that he was able to reach the main group just as the hooded figure was stabbing some morbidly obese creature in the chest with… Was that a giant key? Weird. Well setting that aside, the Courier approached the massive King Bowser to report the situation. He wasn’t looking forward to the encounter. Not that he expected the Koopa King to react unfavorably to the news, quite the opposite. It was just that the jet had worn off and he was coming down from the high. He didn’t much feel like talking to anybody. [color=tan]”A’right boss, just like I promised, the canyon has been secured from all enemy forces. Once we take that castle, we can rest assured that no enemies will be launching an assault from that flank. Side note, I found out that if you [i]throttle the fuck[/i] out of these little spirits left behind from our kills, they turn into loot!”[/color] He held up the grenade launcher that had once been the trio of bomb-lobbing goblins, as if to present a kill for his master. But of course, Bowser was not his master, just a temporary employer, and this was no gift. He wasn’t in the business of giving out gifts, at least not to the already entitled such as the king. Maybe to someone poor or down on his luck, but not a king. The Courier was much too greedy for that. That’s when he noticed the dancing woman, Din, speaking to the cat person, Ratchet. Ratchet still had one of Linkle’s crossbows, but was otherwise unarmed. Unless you counted that oversized wrench Ratchet had on him, which the Courier most certainly did, but still, the cat-person looked a bit naked. The Courier decided to approach Ratchet with the [b]Maniacs’ Bombuilder.[/b] [color=tan]”Here,”[/color] he said, holding it out for Ratchet to take. [color=tan]”It’s a recharging grenade launcher with two settings. I only tested the first one, which is proximity bombs.I’ll give it to you… If you do me a favor later. Sound good?”[/color] The Courier didn’t even wait for Ratchet’s response, dropping the grenade launcher into what he assumed would be open and waiting arms. Tora had spoken up, saying something that demanded everyone’s immediate attention, even if they didn’t yet know it. Kirby, who was resting peacefully in Bowser’s white hat, had been taken by the rabbits! The Courier armed himself with the Ratslayer, took a swig from his whiskey bottle, grit his teeth, and gave chase. [color=tan]”Looks like it’s rabbit season!”[/color]