[Borderlands] Risk it All [1-on-1 RP]

Looking as she walked, hoping she wouldn’t run into anyone before she could find the door out of this place and slip away, it didn’t take long for her to notice the security cameras perched here and there. Naira felt her stomach tie itself in knots at that. If someone was paying attention to those cameras… She shook her head, walking further in. So far no one had approached her or shouted at her. Maybe the security guard was slacking off, she hoped.

It wasn’t long after that realization did she stop, however, catching sight of something all too familiar. There, splashed on the wall in bright, vibrant paint was the Hyperion logo. Her brow furrowed, mind racing at this sight.

’There’s no way… That’s just part of a game,’ Naira rationalized. This had to be some joke, though who’d ever go to that extent Naira couldn’t guess. Her heart had picked up its pace alongside her racing thoughts; if the impossible had happened… She shook her head. That couldn’t be, this had to be a dream and yet her throbbing head and aching muscles told her otherwise.

She placed a hand to her head, attempting to ease the pain. It did little to help. “I must be nuts, that’s it,” Naira muttered under her breath.

The sooner she found out what was going on and why the better. ’Especially so if Naeva’s stuck here somewhere too.’ Any further thoughts and plans she might have made were put on hold at the sound of hurried footsteps. Her head shot up towards the sound, the aching doubling for a brief moment at the movement. It mattered little due to what she saw next.

Coming towards her was none other than Jack himself, though dressed differently than what she remembered from Borderlands 2. Naira had already tensed, ready to bolt if she needed to though still she held her ground. ’This is nuts!’ Yet here she was, staring this guy down.

“Don’t suppose you’d be willing to point me to the way out,” she spoke, sounding more confident than she felt. Confusion filled her alongside tension and wariness as Jack neared her. ’Where’s his mask…?’


This place was no different than the others Zer0 had visited, that much was very clear. Seeking a challenge seemed even harder now than ever before. Were his skills so great that nothing was left to make him work for the strife he loved? Zer0 hummed in thought at that, not at all pleased at that possibility. No, he simple had to search harder, that was all.

That was about the time when the whisperings began to get to him. He stopped, cocking his head to one side and listened. It seemed that a stray was causing a bit of attention. A curious thing when everyone here had a bit of… character… to them. If nothing else it might lead Zer0 to the kind of challenge he craved.

It didn’t take long to track down the source of these whispers. She stuck out like a sore thumb in this place. She was clean, for one thing, whereas many of this people were greasy or covered in dirt and blood and rust. Her clothes were a little strange as well though not in any sort of way that Zer0 could precisely pinpoint. Perhaps it was the lack of firearms on her person or any kind of protective gear.

He shook his head and strode right up to her, peering down at her through his helmet. It seemed she’d had little luck in whatever she was asking about for, if the way she looked up at him was any indicator. For a moment, Zer0 said nothing, merely studied her.

“What have we found here? A lost lamb searching the town? A sight to be seen,” Zer0 said finally.

It was more than a little weird to be standing here, face to face to someone that should be fictional. Even more so considering he was supposed to be a villain and yet he seemed to lack that kind of viciousness now. When had she ended up in this place? Naira hoped she’d be able to find answers to this.

Seeing Handsome Jack before her, without the mask… it was a lot to take in of all things. ’At least I’m not being shot at by bandits,’ she reasoned. Though the idea of dealing with Jack didn’t seem appealing either.

“Always fancied a jaunt out in space,” Naira quipped quickly. It saved her some face, made it easier to pretend that her insides weren’t knotted up and that she was tense all over.

Jack didn’t seem to mind the remark. He seemed like the type who didn’t mind a witty or sarcastic comment, at least. Still, Naira wondered when the Jack she knew—in a manner of speaking—would show himself. He seemed so… normal. The change was daunting in itself, not to mention everything else about the situation Naira found herself in now.

She blinked, a confused look crossing her features for a moment. “Sweet cheeks?” she echoed under her breath, perhaps in disbelief. “That’s a first.”

A moment later she shook her head, dismissing the thought. Now wasn’t the time for that. If Jack wasn’t the psychopath now that she knew him to be later in his life then maybe he’d be willing to lend a hand… She had her doubts though. The Echoes she and Naeva had picked up that detailed parts of his past had lead her to believe he’d been that way for a long time.

“The name’s Naira, and lost doesn’t cover the half of it,” she answered finally.


The man that had been nearest to this short-haired woman had gone ignored by Zer0. He was nothing, no threat at all. The only thing in his hand was a small knife. In comparison Zer0 had the advantage by blade alone. His katana had longer reach, after all.

He cocked his head to one side as the bandit turned to Zer0 instead, brandishing the knife even now. For the time being Zer0 would put the curious woman on hold to deal with this bandit. Perhaps then others would be less willing to interrupt and then Zer0 could sate his curiosity. That was the plan anyways.

“A foolish mistake,” Zer0 said finally, reaching for the blade at his back.

The woman was speaking, mentioning a friend she was seeking out. Zer0 filed that information away for later. It seemed like for now he might have found something to at least spend time on and hopefully find a worthy challenge along the way.

Zer0 did not leave the bandit much leeway to react before he’d unsheathed the katana and dashed forward. Dodging around the short-haired woman was an easy feat, stabbing his blade into the bandit’s stomach. There was a sound that might have been the bandit attempting to say something, the pain causing him to choke on his words.

For a second Zer0 lingered, to make sure the bandit could do more. No shield had dulled the strike, but it would be best to make sure. Zer0 glanced at the bandit and then straightened, drawing the blade from the warm corpse with ease.

“No challenge at all,” Zer0 remarked. With that he turned to survey the woman again. “No shield or gun, how unwise.”

Naira blinked as Jack answered her mutterings. She hadn’t intended to be heard, mostly she’d just been a little baffled by the odd pet name. As if in answer she straightened her glasses on her nose. It wasn’t like she was quite the looker, after all. She might be cute but that was the extent of her physical charm.

Soon enough introductions were out of the way and Jack was talking more, mentioning her supposed sudden appearance. Her brow furrowed at that. ’A burst of light?’ She didn’t recall any of that but maybe it was the cause of why she couldn’t remember too. It was hard to say.

“Right,” she said carefully, glancing at him. He seemed like he was rather eager for something though what Naira couldn’t say. “I’ll have to take your word about that, Jack.”

She spared a glance around at the large, empty hallway. Only the Hyperion logo on the way stared back at them, a reminder to Naira of just where she was. As if being next to the man who would terrorize many on Pandora wasn’t enough of one. Naira shook her head again, regretting it as her head throbbed in response.

“I take it this place isn’t known for hospitality then,” Naira spoke again, choosing her words carefully. If she let something slip that she shouldn’t know otherwise she couldn’t just say she was from a place where this was all supposed to be a video game. She turned from the Hyperion logo to Jack again, noting just how tall he was compared to her. “Which leaves me at a bit of a loss as I’m currently down a friend from the looks of it.”

That was truer than Jack would probably really know. Naeva was her only connection here from home—another person that proved this wasn’t all some crazy dream. Or was the humdrum life she thought was reality the dream? The idea made her head hurt more.


The woman’s answer was a simple one, her voice shaky. Zer0 wasn’t too surprised by this; for how violent many were in this section of the universe there were just as many who weren’t so inclined towards it. Though sometimes it seemed like a rare find when one went out of their way to fight.

Zer0 turned more fully to her, shaking his head. “They call me Zer0. Who might I be speaking to?”

She’d mentioned seeking out a friend. Perhaps her ally had more challenges around him or her as well. Zer0 would look into this, small packages and all that. It was a start at least.

While the woman answered, or rather took her time to, Zer0 gave a cursory glance around. No one else seemed too eager to go up against him and his blade. A shame, though perhaps for the best, this woman did not seem like she’d last too long if a gunfight broke out and he’d rather avoiding having her die.

“Perhaps now is not the time,” he proposed, gesturing for her to follow. “A safer place might be best.”

Whether or not she trusted him would be the question. If she did Zer0 would flash the bright red smile emote from his mask, the glare of it reflecting back on his helmet. This was something he long since grew used to.

Naira wasn’t too surprised to hear that Jack wanted to know why she’d gotten here. She also wouldn’t have been very shocked if he thought a siren was behind it. Maybe that alone was what had him coming down here himself rather than just reporting her to his higher ups. What he might gain from her otherwise, well, Naira couldn’t think of anything else that would benefit him.

She shook her head, the throbbing intensifying again and forcing her to stop quickly. Jack didn’t seem to notice this, already stepping away and motioning for her to follow. Naira spared a glance down the other end of the hallway, maybe hoping someone would be there that she could trust more than Jack. ’What a joke,’ she told herself as soon as that thought came. Who could she trust at all in Hyperion?

“Well, you’re lucky I don’t have much of a choice here,” she mentioned, starting after him.

His steps were quick and his stride long; Naira attempted to keep up with him as best that she could but her muscles ached. Whatever had happened to bring her here had left her sore and in pain all over. Hopefully it would reside quickly.

As they walked, Naira steeled herself to ask a few questions of her own. Perhaps a bit of questioning might not end up so bad if Jack wasn’t such a psychopath at this point in his life. If nothing else he might just be confused at her questions.

“So, what makes a guy like you chance getting into trouble for some random girl?”


Zer0 did not mind the supposed trouble that this woman had brought to him by merely being here. She was a curious thing and perhaps that might lead him to greater challenges. He kept telling himself that even as he started them off. At least she wasn’t staring up at him fearfully when he had no reason to harm her. She brandished no gun or sword or ill will towards him and so she was no threat.

“Not too far from here, there is a place we can talk,” Zer0 mentioned as they walked. “In silence, that is.”

At least off the streets there would be less of a chance of bandits interrupting. For the time being that seemed detrimental to what Zer0 needed and wanted. A curious thing, that, though he did not dwell on it.

It was not a long walk, at least not in Zer0’s opinion. Naeva might have thought differently with her shorter stride. Zer0 did not bother slowing down much, there were already a few leers their way. A fight would merely stall Zer0 getting any answers. The questions were burning in him by the time they reached the building near here, making sure to duck inside unseen.

Once out of sight and sure that the place was empty Zer0 turned to Naeva. She didn’t seem as sure that this place was safe but for now he would ignore that. Zer0 was more than capable enough to handle anything that might try to sneak in and attack.

“A few answers now, those would be nice,” Zer0 began, cocking his head to one side. But which to ask first…?

Naira didn’t take long to respond to Jack’s defense of himself. “You’re also a complete stranger comparing yourself to other complete strangers,” she pointed out. He could easily have been quite nasty and yet not nearly as nasty as the others he spoke about, after all. That seemed to have been the case in the game she’d played at least…

Jack didn’t take long to answer her when she questioned his involvement. If this was Helios it wasn’t like she’d be able to remain hidden here forever. Jack couldn’t be the only one who’d been watching the surveillance cameras as it was. That remind left her insides knotting tighter.

For a moment Naira didn’t answer, merely turning over his words in her mind. They sounded honest enough and if what she’d seen of him in the game had been true enough Jack might have just taken to teasing her if he wanted to leave her in the dark.

“That’s probably the worst answer ever,” she admitted. ’And probably something I’d have done…’ Naira pushed that thought away almost as soon as it had come. “Not to mention probably really dumb.”

The most she could do was follow his lead though and hope it didn’t end up with her dead by the end of the day.


Though Zer0 hadn’t questioned her yet Naeva still gave up what might have happened to her. A brilliant red question mark burst from his helmet, hovering there for several long seconds. It seemed so made up, the sort of thing a bad story might have. Still, fact was stranger than fiction—or so Zer0 often heard.

“Most curious then, though no challenge can be found,” Zer0 mused out loud. “A shame to be had.”

He shook his head, the question mark that had hovered before his helmet for so long gone now. The lack of the red light it had brought forth made the room seem twice as dark. Zer0 did not mind this.

“I was mistaken. Unless there is more to this,” Zer0 prodded. It seemed like there would be though it was hard to tell. Perhaps her memory was lacking as to what had happened as well. If that was the case then perhaps it wasn’t a total waste of time. If nothing else this was the most interesting thing he’d run across in months now.

He shifted his weight then and watched as Naeva took her time in answering. Perhaps she was merely thinking over what had happened or what to tell him. She very well could have been thinking up a lie though Zer0 doubted it. She didn’t seem the type to lie very well.

Jack didn’t have to elaborate about his boss for Naira to get what he was talking about. The snippets she’d heard about him through those Echoes had been enough to paint a picture. Still, she couldn’t just come right out and say that.

“Well, at least I’d have a lovely view as I’d die,” she pointed out instead.

At her mention of how dumb of an idea this was Jack laughed a little. Naira hated to admit that she rather liked the sound of it. It was a thought that she quickly crushed and looked to forget about. If he would become what he did later then she’d rather not get attached because he displayed none of that sociopathy now.

She offered a shrug in return to his mentioning that anyone would do the same in his position. Naira didn’t want to mention that she probably would have and had been in that same situation before in her life. Too often dead end jobs were quit because she’d just had enough of the monotony and how depressing it all utterly was.

Anything she might have said to that didn’t get a chance to be said. Jack had turned a corner only to halt and usher her back down the hallway quickly. Naira had just gotten a glimpse of other people, their chatter hard to hear from how far down the hall they’d been. Momentarily her heart had leapt up in her throat at that glimpse.

“Oh, uh, o-okay!” she answered, trying still to keep up with him. Had he picked up his pace? It certainly seemed like it.


It was easy to read her face, her expression enough to tell him that she feared being on her own. At least, in this place she did. When she spoke up, giving further details to him the question mark appeared again, casting the darkened room in that red glow. Shadows seemed deeper though only some of them moved in time to him and Naeva.

He took in the new pieces of information, mulling them over carefully. She’d mentioned the possibility of a siren being at work and that she’d seemingly skipped across planets in the meantime due to this ‘blue light’. How much of it was worth looking into, he couldn’t say. Still, it was his only lead to a greater challenge…

“A promising turn,” he noted finally. “A glimmer of hope for me, at least for the time.”

Accompanying this young woman and finding out what had happened would at least keep him occupied. Besides, perhaps she was the sort who attracted trouble far and wide. If that was the case then Zer0 would have something to look forward to, if nothing else. Things were looking up, though he dared not hold his breath.

“And where might you start?” he wondered finally.

It was strange to hear Jack flustered as they jogged down another empty hallway. If Naira wasn’t mistaken, it sounded like he might be trying to reassure himself too. This wasn’t something she mentioned out loud, however. What good would it do if she did?

“Yeah… simple,” she said, a tinge of sarcasm in her words. Already this was turning into a production as it was.

Ducking into an elevator and letting the doors slide shut was he next course of action. Already Jack had pushed the button he needed before the doors had even closed and it seemed way too long before the elevator actually moved in answer. Naira blinked, glancing at Jack as he asked about what kind of knowledge she had with computers and the like.

She shook her head, offering a shrug in return. Jack didn’t seem to notice this, still hammering the button in a sad attempt to make the elevator move sooner. “I earned a degree in graphic designing,” she offered as if that would make up for it. At the look Jack sent her for that answer Naira shrugged in return.

For the most part it seemed Jack was trying to think of something to do with that bit of information. Maybe Hyperion didn’t need a designer or already had their own team of them. If that was the case Naira wasn’t sure what the case was.


Zer0 waited as Naeva debated over her options. Perhaps there weren’t many or perhaps she merely did not want to delve too deeply into it for the time being but she answered fairly quickly. At least it would mean less time was wasted and they could start on something or other. Even something as simple as possibly getting her a shield at the very least would be a good start.

“At least it’s a plan,” he admitted. If he was honest, and Zer0 was, the latter sounded more important than the former. Something told him that Naeva would not be convinced of that however.

For a second he stood quietly, glancing over his shoulder at the handle of his sword. Until Naeva could at least get a shield and some semblance of skills in combat then Zer0 would need to act as her guardian. ’Perhaps that might prove to be a challenge,’ he entertained.

“Until such a time, leave the enemies to me. They will fall to me,” Zer0 told her.

He had no doubt that would be the case. He had a diverse set of skills at his arsenal, ready to be used at a moment’s notice. It would just be the fact that he’d need to keep an eye on Naeva in the process that would be new to him. Never before had he really acted as a guardian to anyone. There had never been a need to.

It would be a matter of how Naeva wanted to go about her search that would need to be hashed out now. Zer0 hoped she would not be blindly running to anyone who’d listen to ask questions to. That would lead to more danger to her, especially with no shield to eat a bullet or two in her place.

Jack was still assuring her that it was all right, or maybe it was more for his benefit at this point. She had an inkling of what might happen if she was caught and deemed worthless to Hyperion but with the way Jack was acting it almost seemed like he expected the worst. Maybe he was just that bored with his lot in life at this point.

Naira waited patiently as Jack seemed to ramble a little, thinking out loud possibly. Was he really that nervous? The only time she’d seen him really lose his cool had been at the death of his daughter, a situation that wouldn’t happen for a long time now. ’If it does,’ she thought. It was pushed aside. Naira couldn’t ensure trying to change anything would be the best or if it’d just make things worst.

“Well, I’ll leave the planning to you then,” Naira answered. It wasn’t like she knew how well Hyperion functioned from within at this point after all.

The ding of the elevator seemed louder than it actually was and Jack was already out in the hallway before Naira had stepped forward. She glanced at the walls, painted in black and red. It seemed darker than it really was because of it. Naira didn’t think the colors were so bad, in and of themselves, but then she didn’t work here and had to see it everyday either.

“Yellow, huh? I suppose if it wasn’t garishly bright,” she mused in return. At least then it’d promote a more positive atmosphere—at least aside from any abuse and murder going on within the large space station. “Of course, one would need to take in the competition’s color schemes and try to outdo theirs… Kind of like Pikachu and Pooh Bear being the only yellow kid’s mascots where I’m from.”

At least talking about designing left her mind at ease. It was something familiar, something she knew well.


Zer0 was glad to hear that she would not be uncooperative to what needed to be done. While he’d help her seek her friend out and hope this mystery to her arrival here led to something greater he didn’t need her diving needlessly into danger if she couldn’t handle herself. A few lessons or two along the way might be more than a little beneficial. That was for a later time, however.

“There is only you,” Zer0 answered briefly. If there had been another Zer0 would have heard of it, especially so if her friend also arrived in a burst of light. He gestured to the nearby door they’d come in from. It led down a dark hallway that would allow them back outside. “Shall we continue then?”

Standing around now would do no good. She’d given up what little information she could recall, after all. For now there was only the time to act and see what could be done with the day. Perhaps word might spread while Zer0 prepared Naeva for any possible combat they’d run into.

Once she agreed to move on Zer0 led them back outside. The sunlight itself seemed gray, painting the world in its dull light. Perhaps it had something to do with the thick cloud cover that seemed ever present in this place. Zer0 did not mind the lack of color, wearing only a tiny splash of red himself.

“We will scout about, and keep an ear to the ground. All while we prepare,” he told her simply.

There was a brief moment of confusion on Jack’s part when she mentioned Pikachu and Pooh though he quickly moved right along. It at least told her that Pokémon wasn’t something that was available here. She wondered what kind of gaming did get featured in this world, if any at all.

“I like to think the student loans aren’t for nothing,” she pointed out. She’d barely scratched the surface on paying those back as it was.

Jack didn’t really seem to hear her, maybe too busy keeping an eye out and planning. This assumption was proven right when next he spoke up, talking about hiding out in his office and just hiding her away further if someone tried to barge in. Irritation flashed through her, and she raised a brow incredulously.

“I’d prefer a backup plan that involves less shoving, if possible,” Naira answered.

Their footsteps were the only sound in the hall when they weren’t talking. At least anyone coming would be easily heard too though if Naira had to hide it left her with few options. Hiding behind a giant potted plant or under a table was just too obvious and childish. At least in Jack’s office that might be a little different though she couldn’t say for sure.

A thought occurred to her then and she glanced curiously up at Jack. He didn’t seem to notice this. “As low on the ladder as you make yourself out to be I’m kind of surprised you even have an office.”


The disappointment was easy to see on her face, even in the deep shadows the abandoned house provided. Zer0 didn’t give her much time to dwell on all of that before they’d left however. The sooner they were out and about the better. At least, Zer0 thought so.

The derelict city was a large one and in the time it took them to cross over several city blocks and to avoid some of the weaker individuals that leered at Naeva there was more yet to cross. Zer0 kept an eye out, looking for some kind of vendor or kiosk that would provide shields. Even a weak one would be best for Naeva’s sake.

Naeva spoke up finally, growing distressed already. Zero shook his head at that; he was not the type to reassure someone. Even if he tried he was quite certain that it would do little good anyways.

“There is still more here,” he pointed out simply.

As he spoke, he glanced down the large street. All sorts of people lingered, some brandishing their guns or knives at one another. Zer0 could see someone quite small—a midget, perhaps—give chase to someone down a side alley. The midget’s angry shouting could be heard from here for some time before finally fading away.

“Our search has yet to cease.”

Honestly, Naira didn’t like the idea of working for Hyperion. They’d do so many things to so many people that didn’t need to be done. It wasn’t even morally questionable as to the motive behind it all. The fact that she was walking alongside the man that would spearhead all of that was a little daunting.

Instead of voicing that knowledge Naira merely shrugged again. “Well, one thing at a time, I guess.”

They finally reached his office, made obvious when Jack veered towards the door. He paused only long enough for it to slide open fully before he’d entered, Naira following after still. The room was sparsely furnished. The main centerpiece was the desk with Jack’s computer setup, everything else seemed like an afterthought to fill up space. Naira could only assume they were somewhere closer to the insides of Helios as Jack had no window to actually look out of.

’That’s a shame.’ Naira would have liked to see the stars at least once.

She strode across the room, hands clasped behind her back briefly. It was interesting to see the life Jack had before going cuckoo bananas. Even so there weren’t a lot of personal effects lying around for her to look at; there were no posters, no photos of Angel or her mother or of any girlfriends and friends… It was rather bare. Maybe he kept all of it hidden away, given the track record for violence and murder in this universe.

Finally she plopped herself down in Jack’s computer chair. It was rather broken in though still comfortable enough. Leaning back, Naira held up her hands and said, “So, now what, code monkey?”


Zero didn’t know what to tell Naeva now. She was still going on about her missing friend, assuming she might be here as well. Zer0 could only assume she was not though could not be sure about that either. For now there were more pressing matters anyways.

“Then we move on,” Zer0 told her. If her friend was not here there was little point staying in the city further. No challenge could be provided to him from the individuals who resided here.

Nearby he could spot a table with all sorts of gadgetry thrown atop it. Zer0 made a beeline for it, inspecting the ‘wares’. There was no one nearby who seemed to be keeping an eye on these things so he figured they were free for the taking. If anyone disagreed Zer0 could easily handle a trade off.

It took a few minutes to sort through the junk. Much of it was spare parts or broken and rusted out chunks of other gadgets. Eventually, poking through a large pile of junk shields produced a relatively new one. Zer0 wondered who had bought it and how they’d been felled briefly before turning to hand it to Naeva.

“One problem is solved, now onto another,” he said.

There were several moments that followed in which Naeva fumbled with the device. It was growing increasingly clear to him that she’d never really handled a shield before. Where she’d have come from he couldn’t say but perhaps there was no need to them. That thought seemed ludicrous given the things Zer0 had seen and experienced before.

It was a little surprising that Jack wasn’t shooing her out of his chair already, especially so when he moved to reach his keyboard. Yet again, Naira noted how tall Jack was, having to peer up at him as it was made worse now that she was seated. All the same she made no motion to get up.

She leaned her elbow on the armrest, fingers already toying with her hair as she thought over his offer. If he could just hack into the system and add her to the employee roster it would save a lot of trouble… sort of. Someone would notice the sudden new girl, she was sure of it, but it wasn’t like she knew any other places aside from Pandora.

“It seems like it’s either that or get thrown out an air lock,” she muttered, closing her eyes briefly at that. She didn’t quite like the idea of suffocating in space even if she’d joked about it earlier. Naira motioned for him to get at it. “Have at it! … I hope you don’t want your chair back though.”

As if to prove her point she slumped further into his chair, hearing it creak beneath it. Folding her arms over her chest she watched for Jack’s response to that. She couldn’t say she knew how he’d react to that after all and if he did anything about it then she’d like to see it coming at least.

Was there amusement in his eyes? Naira couldn’t tell. For the most part he didn’t seem too annoyed if at all. Maybe he was just better at hiding it at the moment then he would be later in his life.

She rolled her shoulders, letting her hand fall to her lap idly. Jack’s fingers skillfully moved across the keyboard, the familiar sound filling the silence that followed.


She inspected the shield several times over, her fingers ghosting over the metal and screens as if seeking out the button to switch it on. Zer0 let her have at her observation, head cocked to one side. It was hard to imagine anyone who didn’t know how to switch on a shield with ease. Though some didn’t use them everyone seemed to learn at some point, usually from a young age.

Eventually Naeva admitted to her ignorance and held up the device. Zer0 reached out silently, expertly operating the little device. Once that was done he reached out and clicked the thing onto one of her belt loops, watching as the shield flared to life around her form seconds later. The charge rate seemed to be low, something that he’d need to have improved and quickly at that. He said nothing about this however.

“A simple fix, see?” he pointed out, gesturing to the green screen on the shield. There it displayed the information about that shield in particular and the buttons she’d need to press to swap it off and on if needed.

He gestured for her to follow yet again. There was no reason to linger here when someone might have seen Naeva’s little problem with the shield. If it was obvious she was clueless to these things someone might try to lure her from his side and harm her. If that happened and Zer0 lost out on a grand challenge because of it, he’d never forgive the offender.

“You will learn in time,” he assured her. As if to help with that cause a heart emote burst from his helmet very briefly.

When Jack answered her he didn’t bother looking away from the computer screen. So used to coding and maybe even hacking seemed to allow him the time to talk as he did so. Maybe that was a good thing, at least for now. Naira wouldn’t bother pointing it out though.

There was that chuckle again, a short one, that sounded too pleasant to Naira’s ears. She tried to shove that thought and feeling aside though such things were proving difficult the longer that Jack did not act in a manner she expected him to, at least not in any ways that would leave her wary.

Her face felt a like it might have gotten a little hot at Jack’s offer, however jokingly it might have been given. Something told her he wouldn’t mind a pretty girl sitting on his lap. Considering he’d dated Moxxi at some point, it was clear he put some amount of stock in a girl’s appearance.

Naira scoffed, though not in a way that was meant to be angry. “Well, if I sat in your lap I don’t think you’d be too focused on getting work done,” she retaliated lightly.

For a moment Naira said nothing further. She watched Jack typing, occasionally having to stop to mouse over to something or other. For the most part it looked like he was trying to do this as quickly as possible, perhaps afraid someone might be coming as they spoke.

At some point in those brief moments, Naira’s attention had diverted to what she could see of Jack’s face from where she sat. She had to admit that he was good looking… Naira dismissed the thought quickly, running a hand through her hair.

“Maybe if you’re a good boy though, we’ll see what happens!” she taunted finally.


Zer0 waited for Naeva to finish her observation, still looking down at her hands and arms. The shield had flared to life briefly before becoming invisible to the naked eye. Even so, Zer0 did not urge her to stop even if he’d rather be on the move. Patience might be a requirement but at times Zer0’s urge for strife grew enough that impatience ebbed into him.

“There’s plenty to learn,” Zer0 noted. “All of it is quite useful.”

Finally they were on the move again, Zer0’s steps taken quickly. Naeva was at least able to keep up, still glancing about her at those that lingered on the streets. At the very least she was being vigilant.

He spared a nod to her words. “Experience is the best teacher.”

That alone was true enough for Zer0. It was easy to guess as to what an enemy might react with when he’d seen all sorts of them in his time. It made him quite deadly. It was no doubt that Naeva had already guessed this with the ease of which he’d dispatched the bandit threatening her earlier today.

A pile of rubble and debris blocked their path forward—quite a feat considering the width of the street—forcing Zer0 to take them down a side path. It was still brighter lit and safer than the alleys however. There would be easy tells if someone went to target Naeva here.