A New Leader

Part Five : First Impressions

"Bone Head!" I yelled, throwing my bag over my shoulders, "I'm coming weather you think I should or not!"

He stood out by the bandit car, loading his bag in and some supplies for the journey. He slammed the trunk closed and looked at me through his mask, I put mine on quickly, feeling the bandage on my cheek rub up against it.

"Birde, I already told you that you can't, if you couldn't handle Percy then what makes you think you can handle some vault hunters?" His spoke, crossing his arms over his chest.

"First of all, I wasn't armed but if I was then I would've shot his damn face off!" I threw my arms up in frustration.

"Your second point?"

"I just really want to go, I'm tired of being stuck at the bandit camp all day long and having the occasional break in of spiderants and skags."

It grew quiet for a moment, my heart seemed to be beating out of my chest while I was waiting for a reply from him. He must have been going through the decisions in his head, turning around, placing his hands in the trunk of the car and groaning.

"Lets go Birde, but you better stay armed the whole damn time or I'm sending you back."

"Deal." I yelled before running toward the car and hopping in the front.

He shook his head before jumping in himself, starting up the car and driving into the approaching morning. We had about twelve hours to drive there and meet Handsome Jack at the front entrance of the camp near Thousand Cuts, it was pretty strange as he wouldn't put himself in that kind of dangerous situation.

I watched as the various landscapes changed right before our eyes, desert, snow, lush wilderness, more desert, and finally rock. It was a tad bit cooler here, if was almost like the lushness of the wilderness but with a Hyperion base off in the distance. I removed my mask for a moment and felt the breeze cool down my sweat covered face, my eyes getting a better sense of the area.

"I'll do the talking, make sure your voice sounds muffled so he doesn't know you're a girl." Bone Head finally spoke, making me look at him in confusion.

"Why? There are girl bandits."

"I know there are girl bandits, he may send you back though cause he'll think you're weak."

"I'm not weak." I barked.

"I know you're not, just make sure your clothes are extra baggy... your body is very-" I interrupted.

"Yeah, I know."

"Curvy." He laughed

"I get it."

We continued to drive on, we soon saw other bandit and psychos as we passed, I waved to some before putting my mask back on as we approached the entrance to the bandit camp. There was a giant skull that guarded the entrance with other bandits waiting for us and the supplies, Bone Head parked the car further away from the entrance.

The cool air hit me quickly as I looked around, bandits walking over to us to help unload the extra supplies that we brought. My eyes wandered back towards the front entrance where bandits were patrolling the area that seemed to be a mess, I grabbed a box before walking over to the entrance.

I watched as people walked past me to reveal a the rest of the camp that was set up with other marauders, bruisers, psychos, and so many badasses. They seemed to meander around the camp and into their huts, I turned and waited for my brother.

"Just walk to that cover over there, I'll meet you in a minute." He yelled, piling more boxes into other people's hands.

I nodded before walking over the the cover that seemed empty, I placed the box down and sat upon a table that stood by the front of the area and watched people pass by. I knew Jack wouldn't be around here, I just don't why I feel so disappointed that he's not here.

Bone Head finally made his way back with a few other bandits trailing behind him as they dropped off the boxes one by one. I looked at him and waited for him to say something, he seemed to be staring off into the distance seemingly in awe. I waved my hand in front of his face but he just readjusted his position and stood up more strait, more bandits standing next to him and lining up. I felt a hard hand clasp down on my shoulder, making me shudder.

I turned my head and looked up at the masked man in front of me, making me back myself up and nearly fall off the table, I guess I spoke too soon.

"Who the hell is this?" Handsome Jack laughed.

"T-That's my little brother sir." Bone Head intervened.

"Your bother?" He looked back at me with his eye brow cocked, "short little bandit, huh?" He laughed before walking away.

Bone Head helped me off of the ground and stood me next to him, I brushed myself off as he continued to walk down the line of bandits, a smile forming on his face. He walked back towards Bone Head and I, keeping a close eye on me before speaking.

"I'm very pleased with my selection of men, some of you may be a bit incompetent," he looked down at me, "but that's nothing a little blood on your knees won't fix." He patted my back before walking away.

I watched as all the men breathed out almost in unison, some laughing and others nearly having a panic attack. I couldn't say that I blame them for that, my shoulder and back still thumped in pain from his hard slaps.

"Holy hell Birde, you need to be more careful than that..."