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[Well, on Pandora, “home defense” still meant a reliable shotgun moreso than a plot of grass. Speaking of which...]

What about bandits? [She looks at the houses as they pass, taking in the broad windows. All that glass looks nice, sure, but it seems like a structural weakness from Athena’s point of view. It’s why Atlas didn’t tend to have many windows in their facilities. Yet this place shows no sign of damage from past attacks, which means that it has to have some form of fortification.] Are there hidden turrets? Guards? [And please don’t tell her that grass just happens to defend against bandits too.]

[Weeeeeeeeeeelll...

Just kidding!]

In jail. There's...[A pause. How to put it in a way Athena would understand? ] "proper" law enforcement here, kinda like guards. When people break laws they're thrown in a big boring concrete box with a bunch of other law-breakers. Occasionally they take 'em out for a walk or make them do community service. Fancy way of saying they're made to do work for free. Things no one else wants to do but they have to get done.

So, it’s like the brig. [Well, at least if you ignore the parts about community service and occasionally being let out. And if the brigs here hold every bandit on the planet, then they’re probably considerably bigger than those they had at Atlas. Athena thinks on this for a moment.]

No one’s going to try and put you there, are they? [After all, he is technically a bandit according to most corporate law on Pandora, being an unsponsored Vault Hunter and all.] You said the things you did on Pandora don’t count here.

[Probably a lot nicer too. Gotta be humanitarian and all that.]

No, of course not. Everyone knows that the only way to stop a Vault Hunter is to buy the services of a bigger, meaner Vault Hunter, and we don't waste our time on jails or brigs.

Don't need to worry about the former, either. Picked my battles wisely--made sure I didn't piss anyone off who could afford my kind of bounty.

[That earns Boxer another skeptical look from Athena.] You attacked Atlas, [she points out. Then again...] But they don’t like Vault Hunters, so they probably won’t send one after you.

[Don’t mind them, new neighbors. Just a Vault Hunter and a little girl in military uniform discussing the subtleties of paid bounties. Athena ticks through her mental list of other potential dangers.]

What about wild animals? Or corporations? Or... explosive plants? [Surely something has to be dangerous here.]

[He scoffs. Atlas.] I didn't keep anyone alive that could've put me at the scene.

[Believe it or not, Boxer is actually a welcome sight--once they get closer to their destination. There are two kid-aged neighbors--brothers, a bit older than Athena, playing in their yard--that just about lose their minds when they see him, running up to the fence to try to get his attention. "He's back! He's back! HEY, DJ!"

Boxer gives them a friendly wave as they go by, but he doesn't have any time to spare for conversation.]

There are snakes sometimes. They bite, but it's not venomous. There are some rude dogs every so often.

[Athena stares openly at the boys. In general, she has little experience with children who aren’t other assassin recruits, but even if she did, these boys have little in common with the children she’d be likely to meet on Pandora. Unlike Boxer, she doesn’t wave to them, but it’s just as well; they seem more interested in him than her.

His answer gets an eyeroll.] Those don’t count. I mean animals that can kill you. [She supposes dogs could potentially kill someone, but “rude” isn’t exactly the descriptor of a killer beast.]

Why did they call you “DJ?” Do you have another name here?

They exist on this planet, but...you actually have to try to find them. And even then, you're not allowed to kill them. Protected species...black market trade...blah blah blah.

The Bronsten boys? Oh, they call me that because I mix.

[Of course!]

I go by all sorts of names, depending on what people got to know me for.

[Yeah, that vague “protected species” stuff goes right over Athena’s head, mostly because she’s used to a creature’s rarity being directly proportional to how badly people want to kill it.]

“Mix?” Mix what?

[The idea that “Boxer” is possibly just one alias out of many is a strange one. There’s also the fact that Athena’s introduction to Boxer had had nothing to do with boxes or boxing, but then she supposes that “Atlas-base-destroyer,” while badass, is kind of a mouthful to say. And it's not like "Athena" is the name she herself was born with either.] Do you still remember the first name you had?

Music. Suppose I haven't shown you, have I? We've been so busy doing other things...

[They come to a piece of land that is particularly large, protected by a tall, white, ornate fence. A large mansion sits some yards away, and there's no janitorial bots whizzing by to collect the snow, allowing it to grow on the blades of grass. Boxer places his free hand on a panel beside the gates, and after a delay, there's a click that starts the gates moving inward to allow the both of them passage.

Boxer squeezes Athena's hand, not for her sake, but because he can barely contain his excitement about being home. As for her question, though...he beams brightly, focused on the building ahead of them as they take their final steps.]

Yeah.

[At first, Athena looks at the mansion with the same general inquisitiveness and uncertainty that she looks at everything else on the planet with. But then Boxer actually starts leading them towards it and she goes from merely curious to flat-out disbelieving. Surely this can’t be their home -- it makes Boxer’s opulent hideout on Pandora look like a tiny shack in comparison.

But as they walk closer and closer, it becomes clear that this is indeed their home now. Athena stares wide-eyed as they approach the threshold, for a few moments awed into silence. Eventually, she finds her voice.]

How many people live here?

Besides Red and I, there's three full-time staff. There are six others that work here, but they live off-site.

[And speak of the devil, here's one of them--a well-cut, well-dressed gentleman with greased-back hair opens the front door for the two of them, giving them a low, respectful bow as they enter.]

Oh, knock it off.

[Despite his stuffy appearance, he doesn't seem to be the type; when he stands up straight, he's trying (and failing) to hide a shit-eating grin. As the door closes, there's a soft voice from the top of the half-spiral staircase in front of them.

"Hi."

The owner of the voice is a slim, average-height woman with shockingly bright red hair and just as shockingly bright blue, angular tattoos all down her left half. She wears a ivory dress that uses a jewelry-reappropriated shield as its brooch. She comes down the stairs, taking slow, deliberate steps down the stairs as she glides her hand across the rail.

Boxer watches. Even with half his face anything but human, he looks at her as if she's not only the most beautiful woman he's ever seen, but it's the first time he's ever seen her.

Sorry, Athena. You've been forgotten about for a moment.

Red finishes her descent and chuckles. She barely comes up to his shoulders, as he runs to close the few feet between them.

"After all this time, I can still render you speechless."

He takes her by the waist, lifting her up and spinning her around him. Both of them can't help but laugh a little, and as he comes to a stop he reaches up to give her a kiss on the mouth as he still holds her.]

I missed you.

["Me too."

Boxer lets Red down to the floor and she kneels, gracefully, in front of Athena. She reaches out and puts her tattooed hand on top of Athena's hair, running her fingers through affectionately.

"And this is my little goddess..."]

[The name “Red” gets Athena’s attention; Boxer had mentioned her earlier as the person who had ordered him to storm the Atlas facility where Athena was being held, but besides that, Athena knows little to nothing about her. All she knows is that it usually takes a lot of money or a lot of influence to be able to boss a Vault Hunter around. And judging from her current surroundings, Athena would guess that it's both.

As it turns out, Athena doesn’t have to wonder in vain for long. After they’re ushered into an impossibly large foyer, a gentle voice draws her gaze to the top of the stairs.

There’s no doubt that the woman in white is the mysterious Red. And it’s very easy to see how she received that name. But even moreso than her fiery red hair, it’s those unmistakeable blue tattoos that really catch Athena’s attention. She’s a siren. Boxer’s boss is a siren and he hadn’t even told her. She glances towards him in an almost accusing fashion, but it’s clear his attention is elsewhere at the moment.

And then he’s running towards the woman (running towards A SIREN like it’s a sane thing to do) and scooping her up and Athena is quickly rethinking her assessment of Red as his boss, or at least, as just his boss. She’s also scrunching up her nose a little bit because ew. Kissing.

Fortunately it doesn’t last very long. Unfortunately that means that the Siren’s attention is now on her. Athena stands stock-still as the woman kneels down in front of her, visibly tensing when she reaches towards her with a tattooed hand... and then relaxing slightly when said hand only strokes harmlessly through her hair rather than vaporizing her on the spot.

Of course, not being vaporized means she actually has to think of something to say.]

Hi. [Well… it’s a start.]

[She chuckles.

"You don't need to be scared, Athena."

Red stands up and holds out her hand for her to take, while she looks over her shoulder to Boxer and gestures vaguely and wordlessly. He nods at the nonverbal exchange, and Red turns her attention back to Athena.

"Allow me to show you your bedroom."]

I’m not scared.

[She takes the woman’s hand as if to prove it, though Red might catch her throw a nervous look in Boxer’s direction after she does so, as if she’s still waiting for him to supply an explanation on why his girlfriend is a being straight out of ancient legend.]

I’ve just… never met a Siren before.

[Boxer offers her nothing but a smile and a small wave as Red takes her down a hallway perpendicular to the staircase. He takes his leave up the stairs, and is soon out of sight.

"Most people haven't. Still...you should know better than to lie to one." Her tone is light and airy, along with her smile, not nearly as harsh as the chastising message might have otherwise been delivered.

They come to a room with two armored guards flanking the door. Inside, it's spacious--about three-fourths the size of Boxer's hideaway on Pandora, but clean and new-looking. The bed looks like it's never been laid on, the drawn curtains are holeless, and the carpet is devoid of any stains.

"This space is all yours. I know it seems like quite a bit, but let's get you washed up and dressed for dinner, and then you can poke around to your heart's content."

She waves a hand towards the door that leads to the equally spotless bathroom.]

Edited 2016-01-17 09:05 (UTC)

[Her gaze tracks Boxer as he disappears up the stairs, before snapping sharply back towards the woman when she speaks.] Oh. Er… Sorry... ma’am.

[She follows Red through the mansions palatial halls, though her attention is not on her opulent surroundings but on the woman herself -- specifically on the tattoos that mark her as a siren. Athena’s heard stories that a siren’s tattoos change color when she uses her powers, and that if you pay attention, you can see the markings move as if they’re alive. She thinks she can see them moving, but it might just be a trick of the light.

Athena is initially alarmed when they come to a door flanked by two guards, but then she figures that they’re just as likely to be there to keep people out rather than to lock people in. At any rate, they allow them entrance without a word and then Athena is in a room that’s easily the size of a house back on Pandora. She looks around in amazement at how spotless it all is, as if it had all come into existence seconds before they entered the room. And it’s all hers? She’s never even had her own room before, much less one this luxurious. It’s almost hard to wrap her head around.

And then Red is ushering her towards the bathroom, talking about “getting dressed for dinner.” Athena’s head tilts to the side in puzzlement.] But… I’m already dressed? [Dusty Atlas uniform and all.]

["For work, perhaps."

Red crouches beside the bathtub and turns the water on, something relaxingly hot. As it fills, Red takes a blue bottle and throws a capful of it in with the running water, where masses of tiny bubbles begin to grow. Smells like blueberry shortcake.]

[Look, on Pandora you’re lucky to have fitting clothes, period. You don’t have the luxury of different outfits for different times of day.

She watches as the tub fills with water, and then as Red throws a capful of something blue under the faucet. Athena goes from merely curious to fascinated as bubbles begin to form on the water’s surface and she walks to the side of the tub to get a closer look. She reaches forward towards the sweet-smelling foam quickly spreading over the bathwater, though she stops just short of touching it, glancing over at Red.]

It's safe to touch, right?

[Red gives her a wordless chuckle, reaching into a pile of bubbles and scooping them up into her hand. She holds out her hand in front of her mouth and puffs out a breath, sending a few clumps of the bubbles in Athena's direction, floating gently along their path before drifting down to the ground.]

[Athena will take that as a yes. She puts her hand in the path of one of the falling clumps of bubbles, catching them in her palm. There’s only a moment of hesitation before she copies Red, scooping up a pile of bubbles herself, blowing them into the air, and grinning triumphantly as she watches them fall, momentarily too caught up in this new wonder to be afraid of the siren in the room with her.] What is this stuff?

["Just bubble bath. It's nothing that special, but it makes your bathwater pretty and smell lovely."

She flicks the remnants back into the tub.

"Would you like me to help you bathe? Or would you like to do it yourself?"]

[Even if it’s “just bubble bath” to Red, it’s still a marvel to Athena. She scoops bathwater up in her palm and dumps it on the foam, watching the tiny bubbles dissolve with intent fascination. It isn’t until Red asks her question that Athena remembers that the bath is there for actual bathing, not just playing with.]

I can do it myself.

["I know you can. But I asked if you want to."

Red reaches her hand into the water and swirls it around, sending small islands of bubbles rolling in circles.

"Some things are more enjoyable with friends. Although the word "family" might be more appropriate now..."]

[Athena watches the bubbles swirl in the tub, thinking on what the woman has said. ”Family.” It feels like a strange word. An inviting word, but also a word Athena is more used to thinking about in the past tense.]

Okay, [she says, somewhat shyly.] Um… Can you help me do my hair?