So, you want to hear a story? (Qant x 0point7)

[Qant00AT]

The hills across the tundra were long and white. Dotted with high rising mountains and rocky crevices. Civilization barely had its mark in most areas, but there were the occasional outposts left behind by Hyperion. The open valley held nothing, or at least nothing of interest to the armor clad assassin sitting among the others in the train. By the looks of them, they were all here for the same thing, The Vault. One such hunter, going by the name of Zer0, was in semi-seclusion from the rest. It was not odd for him to do such a thing as he was accustomed to sneaking away to mediate, a custom that his sensei had passed on to him. He kept toward the back of the train so that everyone was in his view. His ice blue eyes passed from person to person underneath the visor of his helmet, looking over their equipment, sizing them up and trying to find any apparent weaknesses.

Once he was comfortable with who he was with, he eased back into a seat and let the frequent drum of the train lull him into a haze. Memories slowly began to creep their way into the front of his mind. Test tubes, vile's of purple liquid, recorded sparring matches with wires hooked up to a young child; a dark and small room with only a small cot and toiletries, a large red numeral zero painted above it. He retreated from them and slipped into a feeling of peace and meditation. Those were supposed to be buried, locked down so that he could focus on the task at hand. The Vault, the ultimate challenge, and the ultimate prize.

 

[0point7]

She wasn't quite sure how long she had been sitting on that train -- on the vessel that would take her deeper into the heart of Pandora. It was something she had been meaning to do for as long as she could remember. Though her lust for adventure had been kept a secret for the longest time, Maya had admitted not too long ago that she yearned to learn more of her heritage as a Siren. She wanted to delve more into the sources of her power and wished to witness the connection between Eridium and a Siren's strength. Such curiosities were frowned upon by her Order, however, but she had taken care of those loose ends before journeying away from Athenas.

Her eyes were full of distance -- glancing idly out the window of the hovering train. Maya's mind swam with questions, thoughts, and perhaps even a few unspoken apprehensions. She had observed the train's other inhabitants long before. Her ears had all but tuned out the many discussions of the Commando and the Gunzerker. Their chatter over gun-play and their former accomplishments weren't of much concern to her, no matter how rude it may have sounded. Then, there was the mysterious...creature...sitting alone amongst the shadows. She had to admit (though internally) that he did pique her interest just a bit. She had never seen someone like him before, and he hadn't spoken a word since she saw him arrive on the train. Maybe she could -- nah. It looked as though he was sleeping. Maya would allow her thoughts to envelop her senses again. She didn't want to disturb the stranger.

 

[Qant00AT]

Zer0's eyes saw the blue haired woman look at him. He gave her a more focused look and noticed the elaborate tattoo sleeve on her left arm. Siren. One of the six galaxies greatest mysteries. No one knew where they came from and no one knew what their purpose was. The only thing people did know was that they are dangerous as they possessed supernatural powers that far outmatched anything a human could produce. He chuckled on the inside as just seeing a Siren reminded him of his existence... or at least what he was told. He saw her eyes focused on him and he decided to address her rather than just sit in this awkward silence between them. "Your stare holds, Siren/What is it that you want?/A question answered?"

Thus began what would surely cause questions from everyone that he would meet. The haiku speech. It's not that he lacked the necessary faculties to speak normally, those worked just fine and he did speak in the standard fashion to those he was close with. This was just his way of expressing himself in a calm sense as his sensei pointed out the uncapped rage within him.

 

[0point7]

She was known on her home planet as 'The Goddess of Athenas'. Luckily enough for her, reputations only followed you so far in the Borderlands. She no longer had to fret over the stigma that followed her around for being a Siren. At least, where she was from. She had heard that Siren's were seen in a different regard on Pandora -- still revered, but not nearly to the extent that her Order had made her to be.

Maya's eyes thinned curiously, when she heard the stranger finally say something. Did he just speak in haiku?, was her initial thought. Then again, it seemed cliche to ask somehow. He'd probably gotten that question enough times before. Musings aside, she'd been caught. There was no use in trying to keep the silence going any longer. "I thought you were asleep," she began, trying to sound at least a little apologetic. "Or maybe meditating." The latter would have made more sense. Still somewhat in a state of childlike wondering over this guy, she found herself at a loss for words. She decided to keep it simple. "The name's Maya."

 

[Qant00AT]

Her muscles tensed into a squint after his voice fell silent. A small koy smile stretched across his hidden face. Peoples reactions never ceased to amuse him. People these days, so uncivilized. Who knew that the sound of poetry would confuse people. Then again inbreeding seems to be a popular trend out hear so certain mental retardation was inevitable; not to mention that such refinery rarely made it this far into the border planets. He was even lucky to find it where he ended up landing. What was even luckier was that he actually had physical copies of the books: no datapads or holorecordings. It was actual paper bound in hardened leather or thickened cardboard. He remembered the feeling of the leather in his bare hands, cool and smooth. The books were obviously worn and aged, but he was still able to make out the fading ink. The pale ink on the yellowing page held an ominous look and a musky scent that radiated serenity in his mind.

He looked up from his train of thought to the realization that he had left his new Siren acquaintance with an eerie silence. "You are correct,/ I was meditating;/ it keeps me calm." An introduction was surprising to him, he didn't expect such friendliness from a fellow hunter. Hostility was the more predicted emotion coming from others of his ilk. A returned greeting was protocol here. "My name is Zer0./ It is a pleasure, Maya./ The Vault calls to you?"

 

[0point7]

Though her expression may have been somewhat misleading (as her presence alone often was), she was quite intrigued. She hadn't heard anything like that before. Not to mention that the stranger continued to speak poetically with every following line. There was something mysterious about it. Something that was somehow serene, or maybe even beautiful. That, or Zer0 could have simply been a far cry from the others she had the distinctive pleasure of meeting on Pandora thus far. Not that it was saying much. There were still those who would choose to worship her because of her lineage, much like the 'goddess' she was once portrayed to be. Then, there were the ones who would rather hunt her instead. Good luck with that, she would muse to them, before setting them ablaze with her Maliwan.

"You could say that," she began. She was equally as surprised when her new 'companion' introduced himself. He could have just as easily slipped back into the comfort of meditation. If their trip deeper into Pandora was too much longer, Maya may have opted for descending into a state of rest as well. "I had been doing research back home. An old research archeologist from Pandora had written about Siren's and their connection to Eridum. And the Vault," she remembered to add. Her words were laced with confidence, curiosity, and a trace amount of exuberance. Did she come off as sounding silly? Especially, since she hadn't embarked on her quest just for the thrill of possible loot?