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“Are you hurt?” Nux taunted as he looked up at his lancer through the sunroof of his coupe, “Or did you miss that buzzard on purpose?” Sneering, Slit grabbed another lance and steadily aimed it at the buzzard’s engine in front of them. Taking a moment to calculate the perfect angle, he only had to wait for the right opportunity. As the buzzard’s car tried to swerve around some debris, Slit found his opening and launched the bomb tipped spear with deadly accuracy. The lance hit hits target, causing the car to explode and roll across the desert sand.
“Mediocre buzzards, mediocre!” Slit laughed while Nux smirked to himself as he started to maneuver the coupe back into the war party formation. Buzzards had attacked the war party on their return from a successful raid, thinking they would be weakened and weighed down from their recently acquired treasures. They couldn’t have been more wrong.
Still reveling in his victory, Slit punched the air as he looked to his right, hoping some of the other war boys had noticed his performance but frowned. There were still plenty of buzzards attacking the war party and their fellow war boys were busy protecting the war rig from the buzzards. Their first priority was to protect the newly plundered treasures that were stowed away in the war rig. No one stole from Immortan Joe and got away with it, and those who failed to protect his treasures met a similar fate.
Pounding on the right side of the coupe, Slit pointed Nux to an opening next to the rig that could use reinforcements. Pulling along the left side of the rig, Slit had the best vantage point to launch his spears and mercilessly threw lance after lance while Nux kept the coupe in position, occasionally ramming any buzzard cars that dared come closer. Suddenly, the rig swerved to the right trying to avoid the front car as it hit the spiked trap that had lain buried in the sand. Its front tires exploded, causing it to flip forward and burst into flame. Nux avoided it with ease and returned to his position next to trig. Hearing the loud honk of the rig’s horn, Nux noticed that its Imperator was waving him forward to the driver’s side window. Nervous, Nux moved up right next to the door as Slit continued to throw spears and bombs alike as buzzards tried to edge closer. “Yes Imperator Scrotus?” Nux shouted over the roar of the engines.
“Get your lancer up on the rig! We need him to help reinforce the back,” the imperator shouted at him, “And you need to get your rust bucket of car up front and protect the rig!” Nux’s blood went ice cold at his words. It was an honour to ride up front and guide the rig, but without his lancer, Nux would be vulnerable to all forms of attack. “What about my driver?” Slit shouted between throws of his lances, “Who’s going to witness him if he falls?”
Smirking Scrotus replied, “Well you better get the buzzards off my back before then.” Reluctantly, Slit bowing his head and signing the V8, but was careful to not let the imperator see his murderous gaze. “Don’t worry brother, I’ll be fine,” Nux grinned up at him, “I’m Nux the uncrackable! No one’s getting in between me and the rig!” Laughing at his driver’s cockiness, Slit signaled Morsov on the rig to retrieve him and extending his arm as the lancer swung down from one of the chains hanging from the rig and grabbed him.
“I’ll keep my eye on you Nuts!” Slit yelled after his driver as he landed on the rig, “Can’t have you going to Valhalla without me!” He watched Nux as he drove in front of the rig and saw him lift his steering wheel through the roof while he honked his horn. Grinning, he turned but ran into the Ace who was pushing several lances into his arms. “Don’t worry about your driver,” The Ace whispered to Slit, “Morsov will keep an eye on him while he rides out front.” Not waiting for the lancer’s response, the Ace turned and grabbed a few lances before heading back to the end of the rig. Frowning, Slit followed him, deciding that he could take his frustrations out on the buzzards instead.
Without his lancer, Nux felt vulnerable. He returned his steering wheel to its proper place and continued to race towards the Citadel, carefully guiding the rig around debris, sand traps and large dunes. He could hear explosions and shouts behind him, but dared not take his eyes off the road. Then, to his right, he could now hear the loud roar of an engine and the sound of metal grinding on metal. Sweat started to bead at his forehead and Nux shifted in his seat. Risking a glance backward, he saw one of the buzzard’s spinner cars had gotten past the rig’s lancers and was starting to edge closer to the coupe in an attempt to get in front of the rig. Nux could see the spiked wires hanging off the back of the buzzard’s car and the razor sharp spinning disks getting closer and closer. The Imperator sped up closing the distance between Nux and the rig, but Nux knew that one wrong turn, one strategically placed hit by the buzzards would send him to Valhalla.
As the buzzards repeatedly rammed into the back of his car, Nux gritted his teeth and ducked down, hoping he wouldn’t get hit by the spinning disks. The next impact send him hurtling forward, causing him to head butted the steering wheel but he kept on, even after blood started dripping from his forward and into his eyes. Trying to think of a way to retaliate, he came up empty handed. He couldn’t use bombs without risking hitting the rig and he couldn’t reach any of Slit’s lances. His car was the fastest in the fleet and the envy of every war boy and revhead in the citadel. But the coupe wasn’t impervious to damage and after several of hits from the buzzards, Nux could feel the car start to slow.
Looking in his side mirror, he could see the buzzard gearing up for a final blow. He glanced in his rearview mirror at Scrotus, hoping he would be of some help, but from one look Nux knew that the Imperator had no intention of slowing down and risking the buzzard getting in front of him. Taking a deep breath, Nux took one hand off the steering wheel and started fumbling through his pockets for the spray can of chrome. Today he would go to Valhalla, shiny and chrome, but without his lancer. Saddened at the sudden realization, he shouted for a witness, hoping his lancer could hear him and sprayed his mouth. Hearing a cheer of witness behind him, Nux watched in the mirror as the buzzard raced forward for the death blow.
Right before impact, Nux felt a familiar weight dip the car and looked into his rear view mirror at the back window. His brain had enough time to register that it was his lancer, before the car lurched forward as the buzzard rammed the coupe right when he heard a large explosion coming from right behind him. Spinning out, Nux banged his head against the door window, causing it to crack and his head to bleed again. Slowly he regained control of his car, trying to steer the car out of the way of the rig and the battle behind them. After a few minor impacts, the coupe was on the outer edges of the war party. Noticing the buzzard was no longer behind him, he saw they were far from the rig and that only a few buzzards remained.
“Glory be Slit! That was a close one,” Nux laughed as he started maneuvering the car back to the war rig, “Let’s show those buzzards what they’re in for!” He turned behind him, looking to see his lancer’s reaction, but frowned when he only saw the back of Slit’s head resting against the back window. “Oi! Slit!” He shouted as he tapped the back window, but not getting a response. He jammed the accelerator forward with his foot and leaned backward to get a closer look.
“What the fuck are you-?” Nux trailed off, as his eyes went wide when he saw blood pooling on the floor of the lancer’s perch and his lancer still slumped against the back of the coupe. Turning forward, Nux honked his horn and caught the attention of the polecats in front of him. One of the polecats swung down onto the lancer’s perch and shouted up toward the driver, “Your lancer’s bleeding out! He’s not going to make it.” Nux couldn’t believe what he was hearing; he could only continue driving as he tried to process what the polecat was telling him.
“I can stay and witness him if you want,” the polecat continued over the explosions. Nux was still at a loss for words when suddenly the drums started pounding, signaling their victory. Both driver and polecat turned their heads to the sound and listened to their fellow war boys cheer on. The last of the buzzard’s wreckage was now trailing behind them, later they would be sent out to retrieve anything of use.
“No.” Nux said turning through gritted teeth as he hit the accelerator, “He’s going to make it.” Nodding, the polecat focused on the injured lancer in front of him and continued to apply pressure to Slit’s wounds. Nux flipped on the nitro booster and took off, the coupe roaring past his fellow war boys as he raced towards the Citadel. Fighting back tears, Nux periodically glancing in his rearview mirror to check on Slit hoping his lancer would hold on for a little longer.
Once they reached the Citadel, Nux parked the coupe on their lift and shouted up at the war pups to bring them up and to fetch the organic. As they were being pulled up into the heights of the Citadel, Nux got out of the car and went back around to the lancer’s perch and sat next to Slit. Scanning the injured war boy, Nux could see three deep wounds on Slit’s lower torso and a couple others on his legs. Not knowing what else to do, Nux helped the polecat apply pressure to the war boy’s deeper wounds, causing Slit’s eyes to open.
“Are you hurt?” Slit grimaced as the two war boys applied pressure to his wounds, while his eyes remained on Nux’s injured head. “Not as bad as you are brother,” Nux laughed, shaking his head at his lancer’s audacity.
“’S only a flesh wound,” Slit snorted as he looked down at his own wounds, “Should heal.” Slit’s eyes were starting to droop, causing Nux to panic. He had to try to keep Slit conscious, if the lancer closed his eyes Nux feared that he would never wake up. “Why did you do it?” Nux asked, trying to maintain a level voice as he fought back tears from streaming down his face.
“Buzzards were ramming you too much,” Slit mumbled, “Fucking Morsov was too busy being a mediocre shit lancer to help you.” Coughing slightly, Slit tried to cover his mouth but when his hand came away, Nux could see that a trail of blood had started at the corner of his mouth. “Stupid fucking spiked cars,” Slit rasped, “Impaled me on that last blow.” Glancing down, Nux could see Slit's wounds start to bleed around their fingers.
“You’re going to be fine Slit,” Nux said, his voice cracking, “You are.” The lancer searched his driver’s eyes and tried to lift his hand to brush away the tears that were starting to fall. Nux grabbed his hand and held it there against his face, not wanting to let go. “Together, we will die historic on the fury road, shiny and chrome,” Nux smiled, blinking back his tears. “We will grab the sun on our way to Valhalla,” he murmured as he turned head and kissed his lancer’s palm.
The lift stopped as it reached their cave, the war pups gathering around the back of the car to witness their brother. Slit’s eyes were closing as the pool of blood around him started to grow. “Where the fuck is the Organic?” The polecat shouted at the war pups as he looked around, searching for the organic mechanic. “He’s in med bay.” said one of the larger pups as he pushed forward. “He said he’d patch him up,” the boy paused, darting a glance at the lancer, “So long as he’s able to make it that far.”
Gritting his teeth, Nux looked back down at his lancer, enraged at the Organic’s indifference. He wouldn’t let Slit die soft, he deserved die in a blaze of glory alongside his driver and ascend to Valhalla together as they promised. Determined to get him to the organic, Nux picked up Slit and cradled him to his chest as if he were a pup. Already, he could feel his hands get wet and sticky with his lancer’s blood. Hugging Slit closer to his body, the driver started to run through the tunnels, pushing past anyone in his path. Looking down, he saw Slit’s eyes close, his head lolling backward as the lancer lost unconsciousness. Refusing to accept defeat, Nux pushed himself to run faster and ignored his pound head or his mates, his tumors Larry and Barry, as they pressed down on his throat making it difficult for him to breathe.
Nux was so focused on reaching the Organic’s, he didn’t realize he had raced passed the other sick war boys who were waiting in line for treatment. “Oi! No cuts!” one of the war boys shouted as he grabbed Nux’s shoulder and turned him around. But something in Nux’s face changed the boy’s mind and he quietly sat back down. “Fix him.” Nux said as turned back to the organic, silently daring him to refuse as he closed this distance between them. “Fix him. Now.” Nux demanded as he stood inches from the Organic, prepared to head butt him if he necessary.
“I’m s-surprised your driver made it his f-far,” the Organic stuttered trying to avoid eye contact with the war boy as he inspected Slit, “S-set him over there next to that blood bag.” He gestured toward an open cot with a blood bag chained upside down above it. Gently setting Slit down, Nux stepped aside and the let the OM work on his lancer, occasionally peering over the organic’s shoulder.
“Enough of that! Off you go, I can’t have you hovering,” The organic growled as he pushed Nux backward, “C-Come back later!” Nux was about to retaliate when a few of the older war pups grabbed him by the arm and held him back. “There’s nothing you can do and you’re taking up space,” The smaller one said, “I’ll keep an eye on your lancer and make sure he’s witnessed if need be.”
“If he is to be witnessed, it’ll be by his driver!” Nux shouted as he fought off the pups, who sprang out of his reach as he rushed back to Slit’s side. “We were supposed to go to Valhalla,” Nux croaked as he grabbed onto Slit’s hand, “We were the ones who would grab the sun!” More war pups and war boys had arrived, a few them trying to coax Nux away from his lancer, but he refused them.
Annoyed, the Organic called over several of the war boys. “This one needs to leave,” he said pointing at Nux, “More injured war boys are coming in by the minute and I’m not yet done with this one here.” Several of the war boys started to grab Nux and pull him away from Slit, but Nux started hitting and kicking them away. But there was too many of them and they started pulling him away from Slit. “I need to be here when he awakes!” Nux shouted as he tried to struggle free, but it was no use. There were too many of them and he was quickly overpowered. The war boys carried him out of the organic’s cave and threw him forward into the tunnels. Nux landed hard on his hands and knees, his face inches from the cave floor. He waited for the war boys to return to the organic’s cave.
“We promised to witness each other,” Nux whispered as he pounded the ground with his fist, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to escape. Slit had risked his life to save him. He had risked dying soft and never reaching Valhalla, shiny and chrome. Slit had risked everything, everything just for him. Pushing himself up, Nux turned to sit down against the wall of the tunnel, his arms resting on his knees as waiting for any news about his lancer’s condition. Lost in thought, he didn’t notice the young war pup sit down next to him.
“Your lancer will be ok,” the war pup soothed as he placed a hand on the war boy’s shoulder, “OM says if he can make it through the night he’ll live.” Nux briefly glanced down at the pup and returned his gaze forward, grunting in response. The war pup couldn’t have been more than 2500 days old, just old enough to start training as a driver or lancer. Nux was about that age when he met Slit. Slit. Memories from their childhood bubbled up to the surface, even at a young age driver and lancer had been close. They had survived living in the godforsaken desert, survived the many trials and tribulations of growing up in such a violent environment. They had survived everything life could throw at them, but Nux didn’t think he could survive the loss of his lancer. Grimacing at the thought, Nux closed his eyes and hung his head; he couldn’t bear to think about that now.
“Are you hurt?” The war pup asked, his brows furrowed as he looked over the war boy. The familiar words bringing Nux to lift his head as he stared at the war pup. “It looks like it’s a flesh wound. Want me to stitch it?” The pup grinned. Nux's eyes softened, but he couldn't answer the pup. Despite not getting a response from the war boy, the pup continued “The OM’s been teaching me. It’ll look shine when I’m done, I promise!” After a few moments of deliberation, the driver nodded his head and waited for the pup to dig around for the supplies in his many pockets.
As the pup started stitching, Nux noticed that the pup was having difficulty reaching his wounds from his position. Sighing, he adjusted his position so that he sat with his legs crossed and placed the war pup in his lap, allowing him better access to his wounds. Smiling, the pup continued to stitch up Nux’s wounds, while Nux continued to worry over his lancer.
“All done,” the pup said as he put his supplies back in his pockets, “It’ll look so chrome when it’s healed!” The pup waited for some sign of approval, but could tell the war boy’s thoughts were still on his injured driver. Suddenly, the pup hugged the driver and buried his face in his shoulder, “It’ll be alright. He’ll be ok.” Nux froze at the sudden display of compassion, it was rare to find such tenderness among the war boy, let alone in this wasteland, but after a few moments he reciprocated the pup’s hug. Closing his eyes, Nux squeezed the pup closer to him as the pup tried to sooth the worried lancer. Silently Nux cried, grateful that the pup could not see his face. Eventually, Nux began to calm down and wiped the tears from his eyes. He was about to thank the pup, when he heard a soft snoring coming from the pup, causing Nux to grin.
Careful not to disturb him, Nux carried the pup through the tunnels and to the den where many of the other pups were napping. Gently, Nux laid the pup down next to some of the others, who then snuggled around him for heat. At the sudden movement, several of the pups twitched and kick in their sleep, annoying their neighbors before settling down again. Smiling, Nux remembered how he used to be a violent sleeper, always kicking and punching Slit in his sleep. It wasn’t until Slit took to throwing an arm or a leg over the driver that Nux stopped hitting him in his sleep. Chuckling to himself at the memory, he did not hear the Ace approach him from behind until he coughed causing Nux to turn around.
“The OM’s done patching up your lancer,” the Ace whispered, “All hull piercings, a few cracked ribs but no damage to his engine or tank.” Relieved, Nux nodded his head and whispered his thanks as he turned to go. Pausing a moment in the doorway, Nux gave the sleeping war pup one last glance before continuing his way to the organic’s cave. Reaching the cave, he saw his lancer laying on a make shift cot, a blood bag hooked up to his arm. As Nux lay down next to Slit, the lancer’s eyes opened briefly, “Where the fuck you been?” he mumbled.
“Had to get my head stitched up,” Nux yawned as he put Slit’s arm around him while he rested his head against the lancer’s shoulder. “Nux the uncrackable my ass,” Slit snorted and then yawned. “If you kick me in your sleep I’ll throttle you,” Slit threatened as he looked down at his driver.
“I thought it was only a flesh wound,” Nux chuckled, his eyes closing as sleep started to take him. Giving his driver a sideways glance, Slit decided he didn’t have the energy to argue with him and instead rested his cheek against the top of his driver’s head. Soon, only the soft snoring of both driver and lancer could be heard as they dreamed. Together, they dreamed of racing across the sand as the fury road stretched before them. Together as driver and lancer, they flew through the wasteland, shiny and chrome, flying so high they touched the sun and went to Valhalla. Together, both war boys smiled in their sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms as they dreamed of their life together.