The Strange Pair, a story from the wasteland

Chapters

Chapter 1 Loss and Gain
Chapter 2 Rest Stop
Chapter 3 Turned Loose
Chapter 4 Making Friends
Chapter 5 Anguish

Chapter 1 Loss and Gain

Authors note: Story really picks up after this chapter. I just was trying somethings out and getting the ground work ready.

Like the beginnings of a Dupstep song it sounds like shit and wait for the beat drop...
~

I left my familiar home behind when I passed through the gate of the rusted barbed wire and chain link fence that isolated us. The sun had set no more than an hour ago, its light lost over the dunes and ridges of the Mojave. The localized sandstorm that hides the bunker from any prying eyes began to kick up with sand that could strip flesh from bone. The sand washed over the shoulders and chest plate of my power armor obscuring the crest I wear so proudly. As I left the storm behind I stopped to dust off the sand left on my shoulders revealing the crest of the Brotherhood. The crest was a sword in the middle of three gears on the left and one cog on the right with two wings encircling them.

My feet clanged when my armored boots met the concrete of the road as I walked toward my first objective; a camp set up by some locals calling themselves Powder Gangers. It was set up in too close a proximity to the chapter’s home. Elder MacNamara’s orders stated that the camp and its inhabitants have to be removed, then I was to go investigate a new-found vault door just past the town of Goodsprings.

I took on this task happily. Scaring witless savages with shiny energy weapons and armor was a perk I thoroughly enjoyed. As I traveled off the road to head into the camp, the Gangers walked towards me attempting to intimidate me as they got up from their seats around a campfire.

I laughed carefree then spoke in a jovial assholish manner, “Move your little camp fire along or I will crush you.” I pointed down with my right hand towards my right boot. The lights of my helmet gave my facemask an eerie look in the night’s air.

I didn’t care for their attempts at looking big. I wear a T-45D Power Armor I personally fitted and modified. It’s fitted with a back-mounted TX-28 MicroFusion Pack which generates 60,000 Watts to power. The HiFlo hydraulic systems built into the frame of the suit enables me able to lift and throw far more than a normal man. Made of the poly-laminate composite, the T-45D’s shell is lightweight and capable of absorbing over 2,500 Joules of kinetic impact and it’s for the most part bullet proof. The 10 micron silver ablative coating can reflect laser and radiation emissions without damage to the composite subsurface. I really didn’t think I need to worry about anything they could do to me.

“Looks like the robot’s got a big mouth.” One of the Gangers said.

“Wonder how much the scrap’s going to be worth?” Another said while upholstering a 9mm pistol.

The other ones took their friend’s lead and began to pull pistols from their blue jackets. I raised my H&K L30 Gatling laser with both hands already getting into a stable firing stance. I sighed then spoke again.

“And I just polished my armor this morning…”

One on the Gangers pointed at me and yelled, “Get the tin can!”

Their lack of skill showed when they opened fire peppering mostly the ground instead of me. The rounds they were using did nothing against my armor. They just ricocheted off as I began to fire my L30. It tore down one of them in seconds. Wearing no armor may have given them the chance to run quickly for cover but it did not help them stay in one piece. I let loose another volley this time vaporizing another one, leaving only a pile of ash that was scattered by the wind.

The enemy was now thoroughly suppressed only leaving cover for moments to let loose an unorganized but futile counterattack. I stopped firing to give the heatsink time to cool the weapon down. Using this time of silence the Gangers popped out from their cover armed with something pretty damn archaic, dynamite. They lit the fuses and threw four sticks of dynamite yelling for either retribution or revenge for their fallen comrades. I quickly or as quickly as I could when wearing heavy power armor shuffled away from the nearing blast.

I didn’t make it too far before the blast knocked me over and onto the ground. They must have thought me killed because the Gangers left their cover and began to walk over to me. The armor stopped the blasts from causing any real damage but my ears where still ringing and my brain felt as if it had been chewed up by a Deathclaw.

As they came closer I slammed a fist onto the ground to gain leverage and rise up off the ground. They opened up with small arms fire once again but to no avail. I stood back up the L30 already spooling into a torrent on laser fire. I cut them down like the ignorant dogs they were. Their blue NCRCF jackets became stained with their owner’s blood and burned by my weapons’ continued fire.

With the last of the Gangers slain I searched their bodies to find any dynamite they had not used. I liberated a handful of caps two sticks of dynamite and a letter saying orders are to kill the Courier on sight. I shrugged then put the letter back and took the dynamite to the makeshift housing the Gangers made. I lit one stick and threw it into a small tent made out of sheet metal. It blew apart into pieces as little bits of metal rained down around me. Then it came down to the other pieces of makeshift bedding. I took the last stick of dynamite lit it and threw it atop top the bedding. I turned away to walk to Goodsprings and off to my next objective; the vault door found by our scouts.

I marched away as the blast echoed into the quiet night and I turned off the headlights to keep a lower profile.

As I reached the town of Goodsprings, it was quiet and much darker since it must’ve been about 9 P.M. now. The town was quiet; the bodies of a few gangers were kicked off to the side of the road and almost picked clean by the local carnivorous fauna. I walked through the town assuming that at this hour I would not see anything hostile. And I was right, only Bighorners were up at this hour grazing on the small amount of grass or plants in the area.

I walked past a decrepit gas station and pressed forward out of the town. The road leading out of town was broken or torn up from age and erosion. Tumble weeds and the wind were all that followed me as I marched to the cave’s mouth. The entrance of the cave was blanketed in utter darkness. I turned on the lights in my helmet. Its light pierced the darkness like a dagger.

I entered the cave and noticed that its walls seemed man-made. I walked down a rather cramped corridor with a lone wooden door at the end of it. I kicked down the door then stepped into the main chamber to see an unnumbered vault door. The door was still sealed and the colors painted on it are in the design of the Enclave with its symbol, or at least the crest of the old world in the middle.

The crest was a single white star in the middle encircled by twelve other white stars with a background of metallic black. I inspected the door for a way to open it and found only a console on the left side of the door. I brushed the dust off the console and began to type with the keyboard any kind of command prompts to open the door. It asked for a password and after about fifteen attempts I slammed my fist onto the console and swore loudly. I tried a few more times when finally, I figured out the password to open the door. With that the door began to move inward with a screech of metal dragged across itself. As the door rolled off to the side, I tentatively stepped forward and peered my head in with my weapon still drawn.

The light gave the uninhabited chamber an eerie sheen. I stepped forward looking intently for any sign of the populace of the vault and found only dust and a sense of isolation. I walked to the end of the chamber and up to a door with a valve in its center. I walked forward the light of the helmet reflecting off the door. I searched for anywhere else I could go instead and found nothing.

I placed both hands onto the valve and began to try to pry the door open. The HiFlo hydraulic systems groaned as the door slowly gave way and the valve broke off in my hands. I tossed the valve aside and snickered while I spoke with pride.

“Keys are for cowards.”

I pushed the door forward then entered the main hallway looking for any kind of distinctions or signs to lead me to a power source to get the lights on. My eyes scanned the gunmetal gray walls for any movement or landmarks to help me find my way to a generator. I found a poster on the wall just before a kitchen and dining quarters. The poster made me stop for a moment just to observe it in greater detail. It read: “Building a better America today.” A lone figure in a black suit stood proudly with several Enclave troopers standing at the ready with pride while in their jet black and much more advanced power armor.

My head still hurt as it if it had been removed and kicked around in a game of soccer; but I still found the strength to day-dream about a better life or at least a better suit of armor. I shook my head and set off down a hallway with a door labeled Lab 32b at its end. I looked side to side with my helmet light scanning the hallway as I traversed it. The light spilled over turned off computers and small broken windows caked in dust and grime. The sound of my boots meeting the metal floor echoed throughout the hallway as I walked. I came up to a massive metal door labeled Project Lazarus. The door was secured tightly with a magnetic lock. Power still ran to it so maybe if I find the source I can open this door and find out more about this place. I peered through a window that looked into the room I had tried to enter. I saw many tools and items useful to the Brotherhood.

I swiveled the L30 to lead the way as I searched for the engineering wing knowing that would be my best bet to find the reactor. I found a large open chamber that looked to be some kind of recreation area that was never put to use. The stock folding tables were lined with board games, decks of cards and books lined the tables as my eyes were drawn to a door with a sign above that read Armory. My heart sored the thought of the unused tech; weapons and armor that need liberating from their tomb. I bolted over to the door and tried to pull it loose or find a console or just something to pry the door open with. But to no avail; the door was sealed like the one before and I am unable to enter. I slammed my fist onto the door.

“I will come back for you.” I said faking a dramatic voice and wiping away a fake tear like the ones from the old videos unearthed by the chapter.

I scanned the rest of the chamber to find a hallway labeled ‘Reactor Level’, so I set off for it in hopes of bringing this place some light. The door leading down to the reactor level was sealed with a valve just like the last with some kind of blast door only slightly closed. The armor’s motors groaned as I pulled the valve from the door to enter the lower levels. As I descended a flight of stairs to the lower levels I began to feel strange, the Geiger counter read a steady green showing no deadly background radiation present. I put aside the feeling chalking it up to a minor concussion or other injury from the Ganger’s futile assault.

The area seemed to grow ever darker the farther I went in. My helmet’s light flickered and faded as traversed the reactor level. I heard a quick metallic noise. I turned L30 posed and ready with my faded and flickering light to see a can rolling on the ground. I sighed then lowered my weapon…

I started to hear a low throat shredding growl as if the hounds of hell beckoned… I turned to see a sight so horrid and pitiful, a large Ghoul. The creature’s flesh seemed to have been burned away. With its muscle exposed to the air and its eyes red with an animal-like ferocity. It was a terrible sight as it charged. I dropped my weapon as it grabbed onto my shoulders. I punched it in the right arm with a hard right, snapping it like a twig. I grabbed it by its neck and lifted it off the ground its legs kicking and it flailing its broken arm while holding onto my left arm with its unbroken limb.

I threw the Ghoul down onto the ground. It looked up at me and shrieked harshly as I raised my boot to firmly plant it downward onto its skull. I slammed my right leg down crushing its skull into a red paste. The sound of snapping bone and a low gurgling noise where all that was heard in its last moments.

I picked up my weapon again readying myself as I heard the snarl of more Ghouls most likely enraged by my victory. I locked down the hallway moving backwards slowly weapon drawn as I got to the point where there was only the dark hallway in front of me and the stairs behind me. The growing roar of Ghouls in the darkness of the level reached ear splitting levels then stopped all of a sudden.

I scanned the hallway with my light much less faded now to see the formers’ hands-now-claws prying around doorways entering the hallway kill zone. The harsh sound of the claws grinding against the metal walls and floors was all that could be heard over their combined voiced malice.

I turned off the heat limiter on the L30 and began to fire a constant barrage into the horde as they approached. Ghoul after Ghoul was hit hard; some fell only to crawl towards me. They marched forward inhumanly in an uncaring sea of red flesh and tattered clothes. The casualties I inflicted seemed to not matter as they simply marched into the meat grinder. Some lost limbs to my attacks yet they shuffled forward as if I’d done nothing to them at all.

I kept firing the weapon starting to really heat up even with my armor the heat I felt began to eat away at my resolve. I didn’t stop knowing full well this could be my final hour. I would take as many of them down before they or my weapon ended up killing me. They climbed over the bodies of their dead to get at me. As if to make matters worse my weapon stopped firing and began to glow red and give of a high pitched hum. I took of the battery pack that supplied the armor and tossed it and the L30 at the horde of Ghouls knocking them backwards I shielded my eyes as it detonated.

The aftermath was almost as horrid as the hordes themselves. The once gunmetal-gray metal walls were now scorched from the blast. Blood, small bones and chunks of the vile creatures were fused into the walls and floor from the heat. The lack of noise was comforting as I walked past the melted walls and the smell of burnt flesh that entered my helmet over powering my air filter. I heard the sound of another one just down the dark hallway. I readied my fists knowing full well if there were too many I would be torn apart like an armored lamb to mutated wolves. I charged down the hallway, bathing it in a light green glow. It was an extremely irradiated Ghoul giving off radiation making my Geiger spike with noise and activity. I charged it knowing that the suit would mostly protect me against this new foe.

I met him in a grapple. I lifted him off the ground and slammed him into the wall breaking his spine and dropping him onto the floor. It snarled and tried to crawl towards me unaware of the loss of the use of its legs. I grabbed it by the throat lifted it up off the ground looking at the walls as I moved the creature along a wall to my right noticing that it was quite a good deal brighter than my light.

“You will make a good glow stick till I turn on the lights.” I said my voice warped by the helmet making my voice sound deeper than it naturally was.

I placed my right hand atop the thing’s head began to twist and pull… With a crack and a snap his body convulsed and his head gave way as I tore it from the rest of its warped body. I dropped the now limp and still glowing body onto the floor as I held its head out with my right. Now with some light I could actually see things better even with my head light giving out as I walked farther into the reactor level.

After about five minutes I found a doorway labeled ‘Service Station’. As I walked inside; the eerie green light gave the sets of tools and random repair equipment strange shadows as I looked for anything of use. I found on the table a tool box and what looked like blueprints. I rushed over to read them. I looked upon them with joy seeing that they were a floor plan layout for the vault. I set down the glowing head like a lamp onto the table then began to look into the blueprints. I found the service station I was in and ran my finger along a few hallways to find the room labeled reactor.

As I looked at the blueprints mapping out where I had to go, the sound of two Ghouls dragging their feet on the metal floor behind me echoed throughout the room. I turned around they clawed at my armor doing only cosmetic damage while pushing me onto the table. I with my back to the table and the two in front of me trying to pry me open like a can of food, began to feel around the table for the tool box. I found it and I pulled from it the first thing I could find. I slammed the object into the head of the one on the right popping its skull open the green light gave the crimson blood a strange look as it fell to the floor. The surviving one on the left side was female, or was female before the radiation got to her. She started to try to rip off a piece of my armor. I punched her in the right eye with my left hand caving in that area of her face. She fell onto one knee and still snarled like a horrid, untamed beast. I slammed the tool hard onto the right side of her jaw almost severing it from her head she fell to the floor dead.

I looked at the tool to see what had helped me survive that last attack. It was a red wrench with Robco inscribed on the side. I held it proudly like a sword in the hands of the knights of old as I heard the noise of one running down the hallway. As it turned to look at me from the doorway I already have my wrench ready for the swing.

It entered the room and jumped at me. I swung hard into its ribs and dropped the Ghoul onto the floor on its left side. It kicked and thrashed as I placed my boot onto its chest and slammed the wrench down on its skull. After several hits, its skull fully caved in I got up off the Ghoul and went to the table to gather up the ‘lamp’.

After a torturous five minutes of wandering through the hallways and dispatching a few more Ghouls that seemed to wander out from any open area, I made it to the reactor room. I walked into the large, cold room, the only light in it was from my ‘lamp’ and a lone computer with food cans stacked around it. The put the ‘lamp’ atop the computer then set about turning on the lights or just learning something about this damn place. I read several error messages until I found a few files not overly corrupted.

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To: Commander Michel

Re: Moving the Ghouls to engineering

Why are you trying to put a strain of the systems down here? Furthermore why does this ‘Project Lazarus’ get its own wing of the vault? I know you run some important experiments up here ever since Washington went dark, but that doesn’t excuse a blatant disregarding of the safety protocol.

You moved these ugly things down into storage and then tell me to put up an electronic fence to keep them in there and don’t even think about the drain on power that causes? Hell if the power goes out for even a moment we may lose more than a few good people. Just because we aren’t ‘scientists’ doesn’t mean we’re expandable! Get the damn Ghouls the fuck out of here and tell the lab coats up stairs they don’t run this place.

From: Frank Cornel, proud Enclave grease monkey!

******

To: Frank Cornel

Re: Re: Moving the Ghouls to engineering

Do you think you could stop whining and keep the damn lights on up here?! We sent four troopers down there after you didn’t report in yesterday and they did not come back! We will seal the door if we don’t hear anything in the next hour. Get off your asses and stop playing with the lights!

From: Commander Michel

******

The last messages were audio logs recorded at intervals over a few days’ time. I could only make out a few lines over sobs and cries as I listened to the log. I immediately wished I hadn’t.

******

“This is Frank I… I am trapped in the reactor room. If this log is received, send troopers down here... I… I think I’m all that’s left!”

Next one is a few hours later.

“That damn glowing one! It’s scrambling the signal… If anyone is still alive on this level please respond over the PA… please anyone… anyone.”

The one next was a day later.

“*Crying* they got everyone, everyone! *Sob* the doors are holding but the reactor will only last so long when that goes… I…I’m… *low crying*”

The last one was recorded three hours after the last.

“I hear them… their scratching at the door… *Low sobbing* they, they keep… *Cry* I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die! I don’t… I… don’t want to… the reactor stopped! The door! *Roar of Ghouls smashing themselves against the door* I need to get to the spares from the locker...! Oh god the doors are opening… *Sound of Ghouls running into the room was followed by terrified screaming and sobs… then the feeding noises…*

*************************************************************************************

I rose up from the computer shuddering as I turned it off not wanting to hear the rest. I looked around for the locker mentioned it was not hard to find as the half eaten corpse lay against a set of lockers. I walked over to the reactor to check what part I would need… Upon checking the reactor I found that the conductor snapped. I walked over to the lockers but stopped for a closer look at the body.

The name Frank was still legible over the dried blood and tears of his uniform. I pushed him aside trying to not disturb the body much more. Now that the locker doors were not obstructed I began to search for the belt. All sorts of parts lined the shelves everything from HEPA cartridge filters to reverse pulse cleaners but I finally found the conductor.

I returned to the reactor with the conductor to install it and get the doors on the top floors open. With a snap, some elbow grease and that wrench I found, I got the part installed. With a roar then a steady hum the reactor came to life I stepped back to admire my work. Then the reactor discharged a large amount of electricity, I tried to run but the suit was unresponsive. I fell onto the ground as the lights came on and I heard a roar as any Ghouls left alive began to charge into the hallways.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I yelled as I pulled the emergency switch that pops the chest piece and half the limb covers off to allow me to escape my metal coffin.

My head pounded as I slipped out from the T-45D and I got up and ran out the reactor room hoping to not end up like the last occupant. As I ran, Ghouls began shrieking while they crept out from the now illuminated rooms and hallways. I’m now practically in my skivvies as I ran passing the service station with a growing horde in tow. As I rounded the hallway where my weapon decided to have a catastrophic backfire I could swear I could feel their breath on the back of my neck. I passed the patch of melted metal and charred Ghouls and saw the stairs. With that sight, I quickened my pace while trying to rush up the flight of stairs. I could hear the noise of them surging up the stairs like a wave of certain death. I jumped as I passed the final step into the recreation area. I, while still on the ground, reached up and slammed my fist onto the door controls. As the blast doors began to close I took a deep breath and sighed in relief. But suddenly my happiness came to an end as I felt a sharp pain in my left leg. I turned to see a gnarled hand with the exposed bone tearing into my leg like tiny daggers. I screamed then kicked at the hand with my right leg. The blast door finally closed with a shrill crunching noise accompanying the sound of it locking in place. The hand fell onto the floor twitching. I laid there panting.

Then I began to cheer and thank every God I ever read about. It damn near felt like I had bested the Hounds of Hades but again my joy was short lived as a burning pain began to take over my leg. I clenched my teeth as the wound bled profusely as I started to get up off the floor. I began to limp over to the Armory door. I pressed the control for the door that opened the door. With it now open I hobbled in looking for something to cover my wound and my now-armorless body.

I wished to find something to bring back to make up for my losses here, but found only a mostly empty room. My heart sank if I could not find anything to bring back to the bunker I would be banished or worse; killed for my failure to the chapter. All that was before me was a room filled with open lockers most empty some had ‘old world’ items in them. I wander over to one such locker to find a black uniform hung up with care and a pump action shot gun resting against the right wall of the locker with a mirror on the inside of the door. I looked around further inspecting the locker to find an extra pair of pants for the uniform folded neatly. I picked up the pants and tore one of the legs from it turning that leg into a makeshift bandage for my leg.
After I bandaged my leg to stop the bleeding I looked to the uniform for something to cover myself with. I put on the uniform it fit well enough but I look in the mirror to make sure. I stood six feet three inches tall, almost the full height of the lockers yet the uniform seemed to be tailored for me. It was dark black with pouches and small plates stitched into the fabric and a thick vest that covered my torso. The armored vest was labeled with the name of an old world law enforcement group. Along the back it read POLICE. I looked at myself wearing the police uniform, the vest and pads gave me some armored protection but it was nothing compared to what I’d lost. As I put on a cloth face cover that only left my eyes exposed I looked into that mirror my brown eyes stuck out against the black fabric. I put on the helmet and goggle combo to put the police uniform on in its entirety. With the armor on finally I pulled the shot gun out from the locker. With the weapon and armor I felt like some kind of old world hero I loaded the weapon and then pumped the shell into the chamber while looking at the mirror.

“Hopefully I will not need to use this much since I don’t know how to fix these. Wish it was just a plasma rifle instead.”

I search the rest of the Armory to find a few boxes of 12-gauge shells and a 10mm pistol with a few loaded clips tucked away under a picture too faded to see who’s in it. With a shot gun and pistol for a sidearm, I felt that I could continue to search for something to bring back to the chapter. I moved through the hallways my new armor made me look like some kind of black phantom of the past. I walked throughout the hallways retracing my steps to find Lab 32b again. I contemplated why this suit would be in here anyway. I chalked it up to the Enclave’s sense of patriotism to a dead state. Maybe they just wanted to look the part went they brought order back to the land? Too bad they never got the chance.

When I reached the lab again, I walked the hallways looking over the rooms with the shot gun raised and ready. Upon finally reaching the door to Project Lazarus again I felt uneasy. This was my only chance to get let back into the chapter, because if this is not revolutionary piece of tech, I’m doomed. I shook my head and pushed a button on in the middle of a console on the wall, the door began to open.

I entered with my gun raised and scanned over the room. I saw many things that the chapter could use but nothing that made up for the loss of power armor and an L30. I began to hang my head in disappointment. I looked around once more to find anything. All I found was a strange piece of equipment in the middle of a glass chamber off to the side with a lone computer in the room sitting in front of it.

I entered the room and turned on the computer seeing that it was my only hope. I was signed in as Professor Clark. A lone file stood out it was labeled as ‘Test Fire’. I opened the file to find it held lists and lists of data but the end was what stood out.

*************************************************************************************

I wish we could have tested it this was one of the greatest hopes for humanity; a new world to colonize. A fresh new start for the U.S. But we will never see it. We had to move out due to Michel’s incompetence and inability to use sense by letting loose Ghouls near the reactor. To the reclamation team that reads this; Use the machine. You are about to enter the glorious new world! God speed and may you bring humanity back from the brink of extinction.

*************************************************************************************

I was confused. Surely the Enclave could not do this. Even with the tech of the old world and their advances, they could not have found a new world. My eyes lit up with curiosity and hope as spoke searching for more information.

“A new world… A new chance for humanity…”
I found the command prompt labeled ‘Activate Project Lazarus…’ I contemplated my next actions.

“Should I do this? What if it back fires or worse, traps me in some strange world worse than this one?” I shook my head then spoke again with resolve in my voice.

“Well, I’m dead man anyways.” I said as I pressed the enter key.
The door to the chamber closed and locked in place I rushed over to find it wouldn’t budge. I removed the 10mm pistol from a holster on my right side and fired the whole mag into the glass doing nothing. I reloaded the weapon and holstered it. My voice betrayed my calm demeanor as I spoke.

“I guess this is a one way trip…” I said checking the shot gun.

The machine had a large gyro that began to move slowly at first then increasingly faster as the seconds passed. The base on the machine was a platform that had many wires running to it. Time seemed to slow down, maybe due to the machine or just from my adrenaline as a blue orb began to grow floating in the middle of the gyro. I stood there paralyzed by wonder and fear. The orb began to grow ever larger as the gyro started to shake going faster and faster with each millisecond. The blue orb now expanded into what could now look like a doorway. The gyro began to fall apart shaking violently the orb collapsed inward and the machine looked to be powering down.

“That’s it? Really? Fuck this plac…” I was cut off.
The orb reappeared and expelled massive surge of blue light, the shockwave throwing me back against the door. I slammed my head the helmet helped but I laid there my eyes growing heavy as I looked at the machine. The area around it gone in a huge blue sphere that began to turn purple as my eyes shut and slipped into sleep…

********

“What is this place? Celestia what’s that creature?” A gentle female voice said.
She continued, “It’s bipedal. Something like an ape maybe?”

My eyes began to quiver as I tried to open them.
I felt something like a fist press down on my chest as she spoke again.

“Heart beat 114 and steadily dropping to normal levels.”
I shuddered a little under her hand. I am trying to fight my body’s unresponsiveness witch she seemed to notice.

“Is it listening? Fascinating!” She said cheerily. Clapping quickly her hands?

I felt as I had been picked up, not with hands but just lifted into the air with nothing pressing down onto me. I was propped up with my back against the door and legs still on the ground. I felt that same bone-hard fist on my forehead.

“Are you ok? Can you understand me?” She said again showing interest in me like I was some science project.
My eyes slowly open a crack at first then in full force. It was some purple equine with the fictional unicorn’s horn jutting from her head. My mouth dropped then I spoke.

“I think that hit to my head did more damage than I thought…” I said, my voice shaky.

“Wow! This is amazing! A new creature! I can’t wait to write to Celestia about this!” She said excitedly.
I winced a little as she stepped forward.

“Don’t be afraid. I am just doing to check you and jot down some notes.” She said as a notepad floated next to her with a quill pen hovering just above the paper.

I sat there utterly confused I looked around and this place did not look any different.

“So let’s test eye sight how many hooves am I holding up?” She said raising her right foreleg.

“One?” I said back.

“Good perception, check!” She said happily as the quill wrote something down.

“I don’t understand. What’s going on here?” I said softly she seemed not to notice.

“Okay now, intelligence. 2x - 5 = 4x – 1 what’s X?” She asked staring at me intently.

“Umm, negative 2?” I said back.

“Great!” She said as the quill scribbled down something.

“My turn! What the hell are you?” I asked snidely as I removed my helmet and face cover to try to get some air. The room felt like its growing warmer.

“A pony. How about you. What are you?” She asked inquisitively.

“Human and I don’t feel like playing twenty questions in a hole in the ground.” I said as I rose up off the ground growing tired of this and wanting to level to collect what’s left of my sanity.

“But I have so many questions!” She exclaimed as walked closer to me.

“Ok fine! I’ll be happy to answer them when we leave. Seeing this place has only brought me pain and an annoying sidekick.”

I said as I tried to open the door it not moving.

I swore loudly then turned to her, “Well seems we are stuck here and your looking mighty tasty.” I said jokingly as I pointed to the door.

“I think I have a spell for this.” She said as her horn began glow a light purple and everything went dark for a moment.
Just as suddenly as it went dark did the world come back into focus and we stood on the other side of the door.

“How did you manage that?” I asked her amazed.

“Magic!” She exclaimed proudly.

“No really? You species must be so advanced to do that.” I replied.

“I am a unicorn and I used a magic spell to teleport us past the door.” She said with a straight face.

“Ok. If you don’t want to tell me how you really did that, you don’t have to. Can you at least tell me your name?” I asked her trying to sound peaceful.

“I did and my names Twilight Sparkle. What’s yours?” She asked extending a hoof.

I shook her hoof with my hand, “Names Darius, pleasure to meet you.” I put my head gear back on.

As we walked through the bunker we talked and talked. She told me of her home Equestria and the various creatures that inhabited it. I told her of human history trying to skip over the harsher parts to make us look better. She told me of their technological progress and it seemed to be strange that war really wasn’t a factor in their advancement. I told her about what we, the humans, made tools for war and education. As we left, we walked down the cave to leave before. We reached the end, the sun light flowed in almost blinding me as I spoke in a peaceful tone.

“Twilight you are about to see what’s left of humanity and what’s left of my world… Be ready, the last war may have destroyed the old world but now new nations managed to rise to power. War never changes, only the people fighting it do.”

We stepped out into the light it blinding our eyes…

Chapter 2 Rest Stop

Author's note: Holy shit first Chapter gave me half the likes as my ten chapter story... Well to that I say lets keep these chapters coming.

My idea for this series is to have them travel the land, see the world and complete great deeds.
But we are still stuck on build up so your ass is going to wait. Hey its like a techno track build up is important.
~

The sun beat down heavily upon me as I walked with Twilight back to the town of Goodsprings. I was tired, hot and hungry with Goodsprings the closest place to get that problem solved. If having lost all that I brought with me to that vault wasn’t bad enough, now I have to find a way to make some caps to feed myself and my strange new friend. Her hooves made a loud audible galloping noise as she quickened her pace and ran down a decrepit road just off the path to Goodsprings.

“Hey where are you running off to? It’s not safe to go alone!” Yelled after her and got a response I did not want to hear.

“I think I heard something!” She yelled cheerily back slowing running out of my field of view.

“Damn my better nature.” I sighed and chased after her.

With my gear and lack of food or water I did not want to chase her through the wasteland but I can’t just leave her alone out here. As I heaved myself onto a large boulder to get a better sight on where she ran off to, I saw her starting to slow down cautiously. She stood atop a ridge overlooking a wide expanse of the Mojave. As I approached to discipline her for running off like that I heard the sounds of gunfire and the screams of some wounded. I treaded over the rocks and sand as fast as I could to finally stand beside her. I glanced at her face. The once cheerful and inquisitive expression was bleak and pained. I turned away from her to see what had grasped her attention in such a manner.

The sight was one I heard about many times but never had the misfortune of seeing first hand. A five man group of Crimson Caravan members were huddled behind their cargo in a makeshift defense. They were putting up a valiant fight but where soon enveloped by a scuttling sea of dark blue. The Radscorpions were the same size as the husks of the cars left on the roads after the war. Their stingers and claws drove deep into the bodies of three Caravanners who fell trying to out run the beasts near and around the cargo. As the Radscorpions advanced in their slaughter two men bravely but foolishly stepped out to meet their attackers head on.

The two men where armed with old, faded wood and in heavy visible disrepair, hunting rifles. Duct tape and hope where the only things letting those two monstrosities of guns keep firing as the two rushed forward. The .308’s fired tore through the carapace of a large one in the back spraying a green viscous liquid into the sand behind it stopping it cold. The second Radscorpion to fall to the Caravanner’s onslaught had its tail and right set of legs obliterated into chucks of broken carapace and meat. And with a final burst depleting their ammo they took out one more before being surrounded.

The two men looked like they were at the end of one of those ancient westerns from holovids I watched in my time at the bunker. Surrounded with nowhere to turn they smirked their grit showing on their faces and the sun casting a shadow from the cattleman hats they wore. The one on the left dropped his rifle and pulled out an old but well cared for K-bar. His friend on the right simply nodded and turned his scoped rifle around turning the butt of the gun into a club. The bodies of a few other humans were on the ground convulsing as the poison did them in.

Twilight stood there shocked and frightened but I had different thoughts. My mind was filled with a single choice. Do I save them? Or do I let nature take its course and wait to pick at the remains for anything of value? I shook my head. No, fuck that! I’m not some piss ant raider. I am a Paladin of the Brotherhood of Steel and I am here to save humanity.

I screamed out and charged down the hill in an adrenaline filled frenzy as I pulled out the 10mm pistol and began to fire into the Radscorpions. I emptied the mag into two of them puncturing several tiny green holes into the beasts as they turned at me. Seeing that the pistol had little effect I holstered it and switched to my shotgun I hung off my back.

The pair of Caravanners had their own trouble with the remaining two Radscorpions. The one with the knife kicked one right in the eyes disorientating it as he kept kicking it squirmed under the hits. The other Radscorpion got its singer ready to bear onto the man when his backup slammed the rifle across the creature’s tail like a bat. The one with the knife let out a hearty cheer as he drove the blade deep into what I think was the Radscorpion’s brain. The second man was busy beating the living shit out of the last Radscorpion with his makeshift bat stopping periodically only to wipe the sweat from his brow.

With the 12-gauge in hand I let loose. The shot scattered and peppered the left one of the two Radscorpion’s crushing its carapace inward leaving it a gooey mess on the ground. I tried to fire another shot and nothing happened. I swore loudly as the last Radscorpion drew ever closer. Just as it raised its singer and aimed for my chest I remembered the shotgun was a pump action. I pumped it back then forward pointing it at the base of the tail and fired. I severed the tail off roughly with the shot. Green watery blood spat forth from the wound as I moved forward for the kill. I didn’t want to waste ammo having no caps to buy more so I simply began to stomp the beast’s head in. This task without the use of my armor or any other servo motors was very difficult so I basically ended up jumping up and down on the thing using my full weight until I heard a snap. With that satisfying noise I got off of it and walked towards the two Caravanners.

The one with the knife wiped it off on the Radscorpion’s body and turned to his friend to speak. As I approached I heard the tail end of him chastising the one who used his rifle like a bat for his misuse of the weapon and how the one with the knife always had to fix it. To which he rolled his eyes and threw the scoped weapon over his shoulders and rested his hands atop it. When I finally reached them they seemed happy to see a friendly face in the wasteland.

“Looks like we got a bad ass over here.” The one with the knife smirked his scars told a story of many hardships then spoke again, “Can’t even work a 12-gauge. What you just crawl out of a vault or something?”

“Well something like that.” I said back not believing this guy seriously just insulted me after I helped him survive against those over grown bugs.

The other one elbowed him in the side, “The names Alex and that asshole is Ryan. And he meant to say thanks for the help. Right?” His expression was cheery and they seemed to be like brothers not of blood but of history they must have known each other a long time. It showed up a lot in their demeanor.

“I’m Ryan and if you see the glint of a scope in the distance that’s my support monkey Alex.” Ryan said looking at Alex as if trying to get a rise out of him.

Alex laughed then said, “Well he’s an idiot but he’s my idiot.”

“Umm, is everything okay?” I asked as they almost began to argue again.

“Fine except for the merchants. Poor fools should have stood their ground. Running just leaves you tired and dead.” Alex said while poking a fallen member of the Caravan with his foot.

“Ha! He left the pay right in his front pocket.” Ryan said removing a pretty large bag of caps its contents jingling from a corpse’s coat pocket.

“Well at least this was not a total bust.” He said with a relived sigh. He then looked at me, “Well seeing as we are now on leave and I don’t feel like dragging this shit back with us. You can have your pick of the cargo we’re just taking any .308s then we are off to Vegas.”

“Thanks. I guess fortune favors the bold.” I said with a smirk.

“Yep, but not the stupid.” Ryan slapped me on the shoulder and hands me a book called ‘Guns and Ammo’. He laughed then spoke, “I was keeping it as something to read while I wait for Alex to get drunk off his ass and I then have to drag him out before things get heavy.”

Alex did not even turnaround from the cart holding the cargo. He simply raised up his right hand and gave Ryan the one finger salute.

“But since you seem to understand guns like Alex understands women…” Ryan said as Alex threw a pressure cooker from the cart holding the cargo at him, hitting him in the shoulder and interrupting him for a moment. “I think you’ll need it more than me.”

Alex walked over carrying a few boxes of .308s and two bottles of vodka. He tossed some ammo to Ryan than began to drink from one of the bottles putting the rest of the stuff away in a pack he wore on his back rifle slung under his right shoulder.

“Well, if you’re ever in New Vegas and we see you; I will treat you to a fine drink.” Alex said smacking Ryan on the back and the two walked off into the horizon.

The two both wore dusters and old cattleman cowboy hats like the heroes of the old world’s movies. Ryan’s duster’s back had the symbol of the dead country the stars and stripes with the image of two handguns crossing atop a mound of shell casings. Alex’s back was obscured from the backpack he wore but I saw the tips of a set of red wings and the ends of two blood red pistols. It looked like it was painstakingly painted onto it judging from the detail. I wondered what it could be surly it wasn’t the Brotherhood but was interrupted by the noise of Twilight running towards me.

“By Celestia, this place is horrible!” She said on the verge of a break down.
I didn’t know what to say. To me this was just another day in the wasteland except for my meeting her.

“You seem upset.” I said back kneeling before her to at least talk at eye level or close enough to it.
Not the best expression of my perception.

“What’s wrong with you? Don’t you even find this a little unsettling?” She said now looking at me intently.
I took off the face cover and helmet and tossed them aside.

“Well… I… I like to see the good in helping others out.” I said trying to defuse this problem. I don’t want her to run around alone out here.

She cocked her head to the side, “So you hurt other creatures to help?” She asked seemingly perplexed.

“No, think about this example; you have carnivores where you are from right?” I asked trying to put this in a way less harsh than ‘Their fucking dangerous animals and I put them down.’

“Yes, why?” She began to seem unsure of her stance on this subject.

“Well, those where carnivores and they were going to eat some of my species. So I stopped them so that others could live.” I said in a confident tone trying to convince her I’m not some kind of a monster.

“So… it… was defense of your own species?” She said almost confidently.

“Exactly some had to unfortunately die so that others could live.” I said as I got off my knee to walk over to my prize the cart.

“Your world seems… a lot darker than Equestria.” She said following close behind now.

Success! “That’s why you should be careful and not run off like that. There are plenty of other things that could try to eat you or worse out here.” I said while reaching into the cart moving things around so I could survey the haul.

“Okay. I just wanted to see your world first-hoof and take some notes.” She said timidly.

While I was throwing out anything not of use to me or her from the cart and spoke again, “There will be plenty of time for that later but for now let’s find something for you to use in here. Shall we?” I said ushering her over to the cart.

I pulled from the cart several bags of various colors and fades and dropped them onto the ground. They all showed age and use but two seemed to catch Twilight’s eye. The two bags were enveloped by a purple hue and then floated off the ground towards her. I stood there watching, still not used to this whole ‘magic’ thing, as the two bags hovered before her their straps unwinding. She emptied the bags out leaving their quite useless contents of conductors and scrap metal on the ground.

“What are you doing?” I asked watching as the straps began to criss-cross.

“Rarity showed me how to make a saddle bag at my last sleep over.” She said with a smile as the straps tightened into a set of connected bags that now rested at her sides. The strap holding them off the ground ran across her back as she gently lowered the bags onto her sides.

I snickered, “So you’re a pack Brahman now?”

“No, I’m not your pack mule now. I will just have a place to hold anything interesting I find to take back with me.” She said calm and cheery once more.

“So when do you think your friends are going to come get you?” I asked wishing to know when I am free to run off and do my own thing.

“I really have no idea but Celestia and my friends will come find me.” She said in a strangely sure tone of voice.

“Great.” I said sarcastically.

I looked through the pile of bags for something I could possibly use. I after moving a few heavy bags out of the way I finally found a good bag. It was a messenger’s bag like the ones that the Mojave express used. It was a faded grey and back with just a little wear on the single strap. I opened the bag to see it mostly empty save for a stimpack, some fission batteries and a very nice handgun with several mags huddled together next to it.

I did not know the model of the gun so I flipped through the book Ryan gave me in hopes it could tell me anything about it. I found the page with its image under the name M1911. I read through the pages labeled for that gun to learn it’s a .45 and that it’s a type of ammo that’s very rare in these parts. Among the things I learned about it was how to clean it and how to take it apart. I closed the book and took out the M1911. I checked the weapon to find it in very nice condition at least from what the book said. I removed my 10mm pistol and placed the .45 into the holster. It wasn’t a perfect fit but the weapon would hold. I took the mags out of the messenger’s bag and placed them into the various pockets of my vest. I checked the 10mm it was still empty from the last time I shot it and didn’t bother to reload it.

I threw the 10mm and its ammo into the bag along with the ‘Guns and Ammo’ book and left the bag on the ground. As I and Twilight picked over the cart for anything of use she found something very valuable. Knowledge, in the form of a few tattered books; some medical and others technical. The final a book I did not think to ever see again, was a codex. But this one seemed strange, it was in a different color pattern than the one I had followed. I took that book and quickly stored it away in my bag as Twilight was too busy to notice while she read a D.C. medical journal.

***

After we finished picking over the cart for anything good, we set off for the town of Goodsprings once again. The sun seemed a lot less harsh now since it was at least past noon. But the rumble of my stomach began to over shadow my joy as I also grew to be thirstier and thirstier by the minute. I looked at Twilight to see if she was fairing any better. She was but not by much I heard her stomach verbalize what we both felt hunger and fatigue.

Out of that whole cart we found no food or water at all. Just some ammo, those books and the various bags full of broken electronic parts or scrap metal. Twilight regardless of her fatigue and hunger seemed much happier as medical book floated in front of her as she walked seemingly lost in the book’s pages. I myself had begun to put thought into the codex and Alex’s symbol on his duster. Both show some kind of Brotherhood origins but from which chapter I had no clue. The Mojave chapter descended into reclusion after the NCR took Hellos One and more or less lost all contact with the outside world except for the few of us on supply detail.

Ironically, I think now more than ever, I’m thinking clearly about what my place in the Brotherhood means to me. Maybe I was too harsh on myself? They would not try to kill me for a failure like that but I guess I really just didn’t want to go back. Ever since the lock down we have all been trapped in there for so long. I really just took the Powder Gangers removable mission as a way to stretch my legs. Wish some of them would have come along but orders are still to only send out one scout at a time. Well at least I have my health and a talking magical pet… ok, maybe not my mental health.

I removed the codex Twilight found from my bag, deciding to read to pass the time as we walked forward to town. My attention stayed on the cover for a while as I thought I had just seen the same symbol from Alex’s duster on the cover. It was two crimson red M1911s grip to grip making a V shape with the wing of the brotherhood encircling them just as my old armor had. The gears and cogs of the symbol where there very much the same except for the whole image was a deep red and the guns crossing at the middle over the gears and cogs used as a background. I tried to open the book but to no avail. The side of the book had a small metal box with an even smaller hole on it just big enough for some kind of key to go in to. I tried to pry it open with my hands but found lining the cover and back was a piece of sheet metal connected to the locking mechanism. I sigh then put the book away back into my bag looking forward to see the town of Goodsprings a very short walk away.

We got strange looks at first but soon they just went back about their business. They must have thought me to be a merchant and Twilight my makeshift pack Brahman. I saw the sign of a general store knowing I could get some caps for that 10mm its ammo and a few other things on my person we could get enough supplies to start a journey out of this ghost town. With a population of only like ten people I knew I couldn’t start a life for myself here just no work to be found.

As I opened the door to let Twilight into the store I heard a man speak sternly.

“No pets allowed. Leave it out side.”

Before I even had a chance to open my mouth Twilight spoke.

“I’m not a pet and do you have any books?” She said in a matter a fact tone as she began to look at the shelves.
When I heard that I was happy to know that what had happed a couple hours earlier did not curb her interest in my world or her cheery disposition.

“Holy shit! It talked back!” The once stern voice had a slight quiver as the man behind the cash register hid at the sound and spoke again, “We’re closed and don’t come back.”

“That man is as spineless as Twilight was purple.” I said under my breath.

“Look, I just came here with my friend to get some supplies and then we are moving along our way.” I said in a calm tone trying to show no harm to anyone.

Twilight wore a look of joy as she found a really old and tattered U.S. history book covered in dust with a few cobwebs draped over it. She used her ‘magic’ to brush the grime off it and get the book down from its shelf.
The man rose up from behind the counter and began to speak his voice going back to a stern tone.

“You’re here to trade? Why didn’t you just say so? The names Chet and this is my General store.” He said relived but still staring at Twilight like she might attack or something.

“Sorry about the misunderstanding. Can you show me your wares?” I asked.

He showed me plenty of things from ammo, strange parts and even a Deathclaw’s severed claw. I first needed some caps so I pulled the empty 10mm and set it on the table.

“How much will you give me for that?” I asked trying to not seem like I really needed his caps.

“For that old thing I would give you two hundred and ten caps.” He said back calmly.

In my head I was using all manner of colorful laugh to express how much I liked that deal. I tried to barter with him. I even put down the helmet and goggles I wore to try to get more out of him.

“For all that I will give you three hundred and forty caps.” He said snidely.

“I can’t take my business else where you know. How about 375 caps?” I asked in an intimidating fashion only to be betrayed by own stomach’s rumble.

“How about ‘no’.” He said with a cocky smile I wanted to plaster his brains all over the wall but was interrupted from that thought by Twilight pulling on my left pant leg with a large book floating next to her.

“Can we get this too?” She asked somewhat quietly.

“I don’t know about that…” I was stopped by her making puppy dog eyes at me, “*Sigh* Okay fine.”

She just started to say yes over and over as she jumped happily in an oval behind me.

“Ok and the book also.” I said putting the heavy history book onto the counter.

“Ok, now you’ll only get three hundred caps.” He said with a smirk, “Unless you eat paper I think you should put that back.”

I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt with my left hand and brought him closer to me. Twilight made another pass just behind me.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…” She said as she passed by.

“You’re lucky she’s here or I would snap every bone in your body and burn this place down to the ground. But she won’t stay her forever so just give me the damn book and the 340 caps. And I will be on my way. And then you don’t have to eat out of a goddamn tube.” I said menacingly.

“Okay you made your point… Your book and caps.” He pushed the book towards me and handed me a small bag full of caps.

I turned around to head out the general store but I stopped to ask Twilight if she was ok?

She stopped and laughed nervously, “Umm, yes.” She said happily as I handed her the book and she put it in her saddle bag using her ‘magic’.

I said snidely, “Tell the nice man ‘thank you’ for the book.” She did as I opened the door to leave. Just as she left first out of ear shot I laughed then stepped out after her.

We both left the general store’s porch to find a bar right next door. I started off for it happy to get some food and drinks in me. She did not seem to want to go in to it but after telling her we needed food and her belly agreeing with a loud rumble of approval she followed me inside.

The inside of the bar looked like it was out of an old western. Its three patrons all in cowboy hats and rancher’s work clothes. The walls, floor and counter were made of wood with the darkest stain on the floor. Every kind of drink a man could hope for lined the back wall behind the counter with an older woman bartender in her forties cleaning a glass. Her brown hair fell to almost her shoulders as she looked up from her task and spoke.

“Names Trudy and welcome to my bar.” she said with a smile as I walked in with Twilight just behind.

“Thanks.” I said back as I took a seat at the bar Twilight climbing up to sit in the seat next to me.

She walked over to us, “So what will you and your little friend have?” Trudy asked in a friendly tone.

“I will have a Brahman steak, a Nuka-cola with rum and a hundred and fifty caps worth of canned food and water for the road.” I said putting the caps needed on the table to show we were not dead beats.

“Okay, how about your little friend?” Trudy asked looking at me.

“I will have a hay sandwich, some flowers and water please.” Twilight said abruptly.

One of the Patrons coughed loudly almost choking on his drink. He set the drink down stared at it a moment shook his head and walked out. The other two patrons just ordered another round.

Trudy’s jaw dropped but then she just laughed, “Well ain’t that a kick in the head. Okay I will have your orders out soon. Just give me a little time on yours.” Trudy pointed at Twilight then walked to the back room to get the food.

She came back a minute later with the drinks. I began to drink as if it was the only thing left in the wasteland. Twilight only took a few small sips and waited patiently. As Trudy turned around to leave again I asked her to turn on the radio.

Trudy sighed, “Would love to but it’s broken, that fast talker Doc Michel was fixing up said he could do it. He did but it broke again after Steve knocked it off the table.” She stared down one of the patrons who just sank down into his seat in the both, drank slowly from his glass and covered his eyes with the brim of his hat.

“Well maybe I could take a look at it, this place could use some music?” I said after finishing my drink.

“Sure if you fix it I’ll give you twenty caps.”

“And another drink?” I asked rising the empty glass with a chuckle.

“You know what? I like you. You seem like a good one so sure; you can have another drink, after you fix it.” Trudy said with a smile.

I got up off the bar stool and walked behind the counter to take a closer look at the radio. I ran my right hand through my short brown Mohawk as I found that the tools where packed away on a high shelf just out of reach. I looked over at Twilight to see she was watching me intently.

“Hey you mind using your ‘magic’ to pass me that tool box right there?” I said making air quotes for the word magic.

“Certainly.” She said as her horn glowed and the box appeared right next to me on the counter.
The patrons just looked amazed then stared at their drink finished them and left as if that was last call. I began to take off the back of the radio to inspect what’s the damage. I found that a few wires were just knocked loose and not connected.

I chuckled, “Nothing like a Laser rifle.”

I screwed in a metal brace for the wires to keep then in place. I connected the wires and with a small jolt of electricity hitting my fingertips I swore quietly but I knew the job was done. I closed it up and turned the dial. A nice tune came on and Trudy walked out with my and Twilight’s meal.

“Well thank you then. Now let’s get you that other drink.” Trudy said happily leaving the caps next to my plate she set in front of me.

“Don’t just thank me, thank my assistant Twilight.” I said mimicking a quick clap.

Twilight blushed then did a little mock bow. She began eat her food as I waited on that next drink.

Trudy poured a glass of whiskey leaving the bottle next to my plate, “Thanks a lot. Now this place might have something good to listen to besides Old Pete’s stories. Drinks are on the house for tonight.”

I cut into my steak happily rising the fine cuts of beef up to my mouth. As I chewed the delicious steak savoring every bite I saw Twilight staring at the steak.

I turned to her, “What? What you want some?” I asked confused.

“How could you eat that?” She asked still staring at the steak.

“I know it’s a little dry that’s why you pour some whiskey on it see yummy.” I took another bite this time whiskey soaked.

“So your carnivores too?” She asked in horror.

“Nope.” I said while I kept eating.

“Then why are you eating that?” She asked confused and a little relived.

“Because I’m an omnivore…and it’s tasty.” I took a shot of whiskey then pulled the bottle closer to me.

“How could you eat something like that?” She asked almost gaging.

“Look you’re eating twigs, grass and berries. I just wanted a steak. What’s wrong with that.”

“But that was a living being and…you’re eating it.” She looked like she was about to cry.

“Damn it, fine…” I pushed the half-eaten steak away and began to drink away the rage I felt.

“Thank you.” She said with a smile.

“You’re too smart for your own good.” I mumbled into the bottle before I drank.

***

After about three more bottles of whiskey and a lot of corn to replace the steak, it was closing time for the bar. I stumbled off the bar stool almost falling in not for Twilight holding me up with her own body. I tried to stay awake but soon my eyes grew heavy. Twilight set me down genially onto the ground and went off to find Trudy. I closed my eyes for a moment and slipped off to sleep.

I awoke just as suddenly as I went to sleep being kicked by Twilight in the right leg. Trudy had allowed us to rent out a room in her home to spend the night in. Twilight stood there with a hoof in her face as if embarrassed speaking with Trudy about the room. She lifted me up with her magic and hauled me outside. The cold air of the Mojave night sent chills down my back as Twilight dropped me onto my right side sand kicked up around me on impact. She panted for a moment showing she was tired just like me. She used her mouth and began to drag me by my vest’s collar. I tried to shake out from her teeth but to no avail.

“Eww, not with your mouth.” I slurred then passed out while being dragged across the ground into Trudy's house.

Chapter 3 Turned Loose

Author's note: While I wrote this I was like aww... needs more blood and bass.
~

Sunlight dove through the cracks of a poorly boarded up window onto my face. At first I rolled over slightly to try to escape its assault. My body was still not accustomed to waking from natural light and I still felt it upon me. Living in a bunker and mostly moving at night made me one hell of a non-morning person. I turned away from the light’s embrace completely by letting my back now take it only to be poked in shoulder by something kind of sharp like a spear maybe. I opened my eyes slowly at first then they sprang open in shock.

“Holy shit!” I fell from the bed at the sight of Twilight lying on the other side of the bed.

She sat up in the bed rubbing her eyes with both hooves. Her dark purple hair with lighter pinkish highlights was a mess. Her lavender coat seemed ruffled as if she had got no sleep the night before. She sat amongst a few emptied vodka, whiskey and Nuka-cola bottles that clanged together in a noise that could wake the dead.

“Please tell me we didn’t…” My voice trailed off.

I checked myself for clothes. Everything still there from vest to the pants and even down to the pads that covered my knees.

“Oh thank god.” I said in a whisper as I got up off the floor.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight said with a small yawn at the end as she turned to look at me.

“Nothing… where are we?” I asked the room looked very unfamiliar. Hell I don’t even remember how I got into the bed let alone this house.

“A rented room at Trudy’s house.” She said yawning once again. “You got a little too happy with the drinks and I had to drag you somewhere to sleep it off.” She said as she jumped down off the bed and walked over to a mirror.

She looked at herself in the mirror as a brush lifted off a dresser the next to me and began to then brush her hair. I took that as a que to get a move on. I slung the messenger’s bag over my head the strap resting on my right shoulder. I grabbed the 12-gauge pump action off the ground. It lay next to the bed as if it was dropped just before we fell into the bed. I checked the leg holster on my right side for the new found .45 its cold metal greeted my hand’s touch.

“Okay, all set?” I asked her while cracking my neck to get the knots of soreness out before we started the day.

“Yes, in a minute. Don’t you think we should eat breakfast first? It is the most important meal of the day you know.” She said with a smile slowly growing on her face like that of the sun peaking over the horizon.

I could smell the great scent of a cooked meal brewing just down the hall. I packed up my things and helped Twilight gather her books. They were everywhere as if she spent the night reading them. The books lied about the floor cracked open some on the last page and others just beginning to be looked through. She has been here for only a day and she collected and read a small horde of hard backs and a few magazines about anything from medical journals, history books to repair guides. With the canned food tucked away safely in my bag and Twilight now not looking like a mess we set off from a hearty meal to start the day right.

Trudy was at the head of a table with three plates set one for her and two set on the other side of the table for me and Twilight. The table’s spread was generous. The table held a large bowl of eggs, a small metal platter of iguana on a sticks and a very green salad with bits of Broc flower also some strange brown root on the side as garnish on the last plate.
Twilight and I both took a seat at the table. The chairs were uncomfortable. I could feel broken springs and support pieces of wood through the cushions. The dining room showed age and damage. I started to forget the world changed long ago living in the remnants of a bunker that we kept in great shape with the skill of old world craftsmen.

I sat at the table quietly. In my mind I just wanted to finish my meal and get out into the world maybe even hit up Vegas. Maybe if I can get the caps we could make it to New Vegas. I have always heard stories. Hell, I’ve even seen it in the distance! But to finally go there… I was soon lost in thought to how I could make that dream a reality. Trudy seemed to want to make small talk but was unable to find the words so she sat there quietly. Twilight on the other hand finishing her meal rather quickly started up conversation.

“So any interesting places nearby?” Twilight asked still cheery and inquisitive.

Trudy smiled, “Well there’s Yangzi memorial a mile north up the road just out of town. But if you’re not in the mood to fight Deathclaws just to sight see. I wouldn’t go there.”

Twilight seemed disappointed, “Anything else nearby?”

“Well there’s the NCR prison just down the road going east but it’s full of Powder Gangers. Hmm… oh yeah, Prim is just down the road to the south. If you need to make some caps for a long trip that might be a good place to start.” Trudy said lifting a fork to her mouth but was then interrupted by me.

At the prospect of making caps; I suddenly found their mundane conversion interesting.

“What’s up in Prim?” I asked in a hopeful tone.

“Well the town isn’t too special but its home to the Mojave Express office and maybe you could find work there.” She said continuing her meal.

I just sat back, crossed my arms, kicked my feet up onto an unused chair and closed my eyes to channel out the background chatter from the two. I wasn’t planning on being a courier but hey I never planned of babysitting a talking creature from another world. I set my mind onto the plan of scourging up enough caps to make it to Vegas one day something no one in the Brotherhood has done. Even with the pride of doing what I wanted for a change didn’t completely mask the feeling of home sickness but I brushed it of only to nod off into a cat nap.

***

I felt someone bump me in the shoulder. I jumped up almost falling out of the chair.

“What? I’m awake.” I said in a loud voice.

“Where are we going now?” Twilight asked with all her gear ready.

I looked upon the table. The plates and food were all put away leaving it clean.

“We are going to head off to my home then see where the wind takes us.” I said as I rose up from the chair to gather my things.

“Okay then… is there a library there?” She asked kicking her hoof as if shy about asking.

“No, I don’t think they will let you…” Her face seemed to feign sadness, “*Sigh* I am sure we will find one at some point for you to look at.” I said watching her expression light up into joy.

As we were leaving Trudy’s home who wasn’t there must have went to the bar I saw a portable hand radio on a shelf on the wall. I opened the door for Twilight and she trotted out into the sunshine a tumble weed crossing her path. I looked around for a moment then shrugged. I swiped the radio and tossed it into my bag. It was quite valuable to the Brotherhood and I didn’t think she would mind much.

We walked out of town with the sun at our backs, tumble weeds rolling by and sand brushing on us caught in the wind. After a few minutes of walking we came to a familiar fork in the road. A lone one room metal shack stood there with a field full of the rusted out carcasses of aircraft was the first marker on the way back to the bunker. Twilight seemed to look upon the sight with eagerness as she turned to me.

“What are those things back there?” She asked pointing one of her hooves at the remains of old world tech.

“Those are the decaying remnants of pre-war flying machines.” I said waving her over to keep following me as I lead the way with weapon drawn. I didn’t survive the local fauna just to be taken down by a Powder Ganger I would at least get first shot.

“What do mean ‘pre-war’?” She asked as she trotted next to me.

“Well as far as history says, the war between America and China escalated to the point of atomic arms being used.” I said with much expression as this is a tail humanity would never forget.

“What do you mean? And what are ‘atomic arms’?” She asked showing less enthusiasm than before.

“Well… one fateful day in the 2077th year of modern humans’ reign, of the atomic bombs fell. And humanity was changed forever.” I said with a sigh.

“Care to elaborate?” She asked curiously even if her face showed some worry.

“Understand that atomic bombs had the power to destroy whole cities in the blink of an eye. So when they were used, the world was covered in a sea of fire and radiation. On that day alone many people died, not just from the America but the whole world over. The total number of casualties numbered in the billions.” I said grimly as I really did not feel like talking about humanity’s greatest failure.

Her eyes widened, “B-Billions…?” she asked her voice trailing off from the shock or maybe horror of it all.

“Unfortunately yes… but humanity lived on through the survivors and the vaults.” I said trying to bring this into a happier light than ‘They all died, the end’.

“And you have those large bug creatures roaming around too?” She asked seemingly broken from my words.

“Yes, but we still strive to overcome.” I said taking pride in my humanity.

“This… place is horrible how can you stand to live in a world that seems to wants you eaten or worse? Not to mention that your species is a horrific warmongering…” She cut off by a tear almost falling from her right eye.

I stopped then kneelt down to brush the tear from her face. I couldn’t bear to see her cry, for some reason or another, I felt happier with her along. The numerous missions alone and all the evils of man I witnessed seemed to fade away from my memory leaving me with a little hope that there may just be some good left in the land, or at least in another world.

“Don’t worry about it. I am no monster and I will make damn sure no one hurts you.” I said gently pushing her chin up, “I will protect you no matter what.”

“Thank you…” she said giving me a hug.

My heart skipped a beat. Sure I have felt another’s touch before, but this was different. I felt happy, just plain at peace; as if the world around me was a field of emerald green grass and I had not a care in the world. I hugged back timidly wishing the moment would last forever… but the sound of approaching footsteps and a raspy voice broke the calm of my mind.

“Daww, how cute.” A Power Ganger said putting hands together in a mock cradling motion with a large rusted skinning knife in his right hand.

“Didn’t anyone tell you not to play with your food?!” Another one behind me said as he pulled me away from her. My shotgun fell from my back as he pulled with bestial strength ripping me out of my bliss.

He and another Ganger held me by my arms as the one in front slowly approached Twilight who looked back at me, her eyes showing unspeakable fear. I thrashed about trying to free myself even if it was to only kill one of them. My weapon lay out of reach and the two holding me both had 9mm pistols. The one holding my right arm laughed as the one on the left arm punched me in the stomach knocking the wind out of me. I struggled a while more only to slowly fade in strength as the pain in my abdomen grew.

Twilight looked at the Powder Ganger eyes wide with terror as she spoke, “We don’t want any trouble, let us go and we will be on our way.”

The Ganger stopped for a moment then continued to walk towards Twilight, his blade gleaming in the sun light. He finally closed the distance. Each step seemed to take ages as my heart raced watching this unfold. I looked around my anything to use any damn thing to make this stop. Found nothing save for a blade on the man on my right’s pant leg. The combat knife was not large but was serrated, like the teeth of a shark.

“So you talk?” He said grabbing her by the neck and raising her off the ground to look her right in the eye as he spoke again putting the blade on her cheek. “We going to skin you then make you into a nice meal. Isn’t that right boys?”

The two holding me cheered loudly. That moment I will never forget the pure fucking rage I felt. I wanted to rip out their throats with my own damn teeth or just cave in their skulls with a rock from the side of the road.

Twilight’s horn glowed as she spoke only one word. “No!”

In a flash of light the Ganger flew back several feet a purple aura threw him back like a child’s toy. The whole moment passed as if in slow motion. I looked to the Ganger on the right who started to raise his pistol at Twilight letting go of my arm. I grabbed the knife from his pants with my now-free hand and ran it across the man still holding my left’s neck in a quick motion as he was raising his weapon. Blood spurted from his neck as I moved, grabbing his gun arm pulling it point towards the man on the right who now had the pistol leveled with both hands. I kept moving the pistol’s trigger with the now dead Gangers hand still over it unleashing seven rounds into the other Ganger before I heard a click. The Ganger to my right managed to fire a single round but only as he fell to the ground his blue shirt stained crimson with seven holes in the left side.

I dropped the man to my left. The noise of him hitting the pavement was drowned out by me running to the shotgun next to Twilight. As I threw the now red knife to the ground and picked up the shotgun off the ground Twilight was still staring at the two I just killed in horror. I ran over to the Ganger she blasted away from her not even stopping to see if she was ok. When I made it to him, I raised the weapon pointing the barrel to the sky and began dropping the butt of the shotgun onto his head. Hit after hit I smashed his face with the stock so that it slowly became just a mess of bruised flesh, exposed bone and blood soaked fear. He struggled to fight back at first but soon his attempts grew weaker and weaker until he lay still with me still hitting away.

“That’s enough.” Twilight said in a calming tone but I just kept hitting away.

“I said that’s enough.” She tried to pull me off of him but I stayed and kept up my attack on what was now just a mangled pile of flesh that looked nothing like a face anymore. I didn’t stop until the stock broke off the shotgun. With that I rose up only to kick the corpse one last time before turning to Twilight.

“Are you ok?” I asked panting with small beads of sweat falling down my face.

“Yes but…” her voice trailed off for a moment, “But are you?” she asked looking at the body horrified.

“I said I would protect you… no matter what…” I panted a little longer while cleaning the blood off the shotgun but wiping it on the man’s pant leg.

“This world is horrible… your species are monsters.” She said with a tears swelling up in her eyes.

“Hey not all humans are bastards… it’s just most are only looking out for themselves.” I said trying to calm her down but she just turned away from me.

“What makes you different?” She asked not even looking in my direction.

“I have someone I need to take care of until she can leave this hellhole and get home safe.” I said sincerely as she turned around.

She said nothing but answered with only a nod. I set back onto the trail heading into Hidden Valley, the rusted gates not too far now; maybe just a hundred feet further. The silence we walked in was almost as crushing as the sun that beat upon the land. Several clouds started to cluster in the sky looked to be the beginnings of a rainstorm. Storm clouds only meant one thing in these areas meant a brutal torrent of water and flooding. I was happy to get to somewhere dry before it hit but still could not shake my sadness over Twilight’s comment ‘What makes you different?’ I am not like those monsters I don’t kill innocents, I don’t rob any random passerby and certainly I had something they didn’t, honor. Not just honor in morals but also that of the Chapter. Soon my fears of her never again speaking to me where laid to rest.

“What in Celestia are those?” She asked pointing a hoof at three large armored figures that walked towards us.

“Family.” I said waving my right arm at them.

The three raised weapons and stared for a moment before lowering them. They wore T-51b power armor, a pre-war variant used by the U.S. military. It had a sleek form and was the best armor in its class leaving my old armor in second, but I always loved fixing up the older suits. To me the T-51b’s lacked the intimidation factor the old 45d’s gave. But even with all my tweaks and upgrades it was still out classed by the pre-war craftsmanship. The symbol of the Brotherhood was painted proudly on the shoulder pads, every detail perfectly rendered onto the armor. The three had tri-beam laser rifles another standard of our chapter held in their arms like nothing in the world could harm them weapons at the side or just plain not ready.

“Where the hell is your armor? Where have you been, the Elder has been worried and why are you walking with that strange creature?” A deep modulated voice said as the lead paladin of the group stood over me.

“Look, I have been all across hell’s half acre this past day. I will explain everything to the Elder in my report but first I just want to get home.” I said plainly as I worked my way past the hulking metal forms.

“Fine then Darius, but wish us luck. We are to scout out several areas that may prove vital to the Brotherhood.” The lead said as they started off down the road me and Twilight just walked.

“Be wary of the watching bear.” I said to them as Twilight and I made it to the chain link gate to the valley.

“You too paladin.” They said back before I lost them in the distance.

Either the lockdown is no longer in effect or things in the bunker maybe as hay-wire as down in that vault. We made it to the bunker entrance. Its outer walls were covered in graffiti. Some from the initiates that came before to some of mine I some artistically put up in my rebellious teen years. Everything from ‘love the bomb’ to ‘(insert name) was here’. Numerous gears lined the metal door that guarded the only place I ever called home. The door opened reviling a in descript room with a lone staircase leading down. The walls were a tattered mess of aged concrete. At the bottom of the staircase was an open room with three rusted out boxes several times larger than myself.

“Home sweet home.” I said with a smirk as I stood before an intercom mounted on the wall.

“You live here?” She asked as if I just showed her Freeside.

“*Sigh* It’s better I show you.” I then pressed the talk button on the intercom to hear Head Scribe Taggart’s voice.

“Password.” Taggart said seemingly bored with his new post.

“I want a large Nuka-cola and Brahman burger. And please don’t make it taste like a leathery asshole this time.” I said with a snicker.

“Quit messing around Darius.” He said back plainly through the intercom.

“Fine, I am my brother’s keeper.”

“Okay the door’s open now.” He said in mundane fashion.

I kept my finger on the comm button, “You’re not going to believe what I have been through.”

“Tell it to the Elder. He was quite angry when you did not report in yesterday.”

Twilight and I entered the bunker in its entirety. Her eyes lit up with curiosity as she scanned the ebony black walls, gun metal gray walkways and the yellow neon lights that ran through the walls and under the walkways. She looked upon the initiates with bewilderment. To her, the sight off the sleek recon armor must have been as interesting as the many books she’s collected in her short time in this world. As we made it to the main hallway that divided the bunker into three sections with two automatic laser turrets guarding the fork in the hallway, I heard the sounds of weapons fire. Twilight ran down the hallway and stopped at the firing range. I followed after her to make sure this didn’t end up sour. She stood there in amazement at the energy weapons being fired for training purposes everything from Gauss rifles to Gatling lasers.

“I thought you said you don’t have magic here?” She said looking to me for an answer.

“We don’t. That’s just technology we have created to ‘protect ourselves’. I said still wondering about how her magic worked.

“So humans use technology to do everything?” She asked still focusing on the weapons being fired.

“Damn near almost.” I said proudly, “We made our way forward through the power of the machine and plain old human ingenuity.” I finished talking with a smirk.

I ushered her away from the firing range and back into the hallway so I could get down to business with the Elder. As we came to the door leading to the Elder’s chamber, it opened letting a lone man walk out. He wore pre-war riot armor much like what I wore only his was much more protected. The armor was worn out from many battles and weather as if he traveled hundreds of miles in that gear. An aged faded brown duster was thrown over the armor to cover it from the elements with a large ornate revolver at his side. His head was completely covered by a helmet with a facemask obscuring all of his features. His eyes were replaced by two blood red lenses taking away his humanity, turning him into something intimidating to most.

He looked me right in the eyes as he passed I was unable to tell his intent I froze for a second. I stared back into the red glow of his lenses and gave only a nod which he returned as I mustered the strength of will to start to heading into Elder MacNamara’s office. With the lone man gone I found myself standing in the doorway to see him sitting at a large raised platform. I took a deep breath as I stepped out before him and the two paladins that guarded the door.

The wall to the right side had a huge display showing many key locations throughout the wasteland. A head sized white target moved from location to location stopping only for a few seconds at a time. Several Vaults, Camp McCarran and Vegas were shown with a few places I have never seen or heard about marked as well. The Elder’s robe was a faded blue that showed his age more than his rank. His hair was white and his face starting to get wrinkled from stress. He shuffled through some papers then set them aside as he began to stare down at me from on high.

“Darius what have you brought with you from the vault?” He asked optimistically as he leaned forward to get himself more comfortable.

“I didn’t find anything sir only this strange creature.” I said expressing my own disappointment in tone and demeanor.

“Hello my name’s…” Twilight was cut off by the Elder talking abruptly.

“An outsider and a mutant at that? Why have you brought it with you…” He stared me down, “Where is your armor, your weapon?”

“Mutant?” Twilight asked while I shot her a look that spoke volumes about ‘don’t ask’ and ‘be quiet’.

“It was destroyed sir…” I said shyly.

“Well that is unfortunate… you do understand the punishment for your failure?” He asked looking upon me with sadness and disappointment.

“Yes sir, I do.” I said putting on a strong face knowing this will not bode well for me.

“You are to be banished from the Brotherhood until such a time as when you bring back something to make up for your losses…” He said to me hanging his head in mourning as if I had just died.

I stood there at a loss for words. The worst had happened. A death sentence not at the hands of my brothers, but at the hands of the harsh, outside world. As I walked through the hallways, my former family people I have known since birth did not even look at me. I felt alienated, alone and unwanted like the scum I had to fight earlier.

Twilight was still beside me the only one who dared to walk with me. After what see saw of humanity today and what she saw of me, I didn’t think she would stay. She looked at the faces of the people that walked by. They pretended as though we did not exist and were disgusted by our mere presence. When we reached the stairs that lead out from the main floor of the bunker to the outside world I started to lead the way with Twilight close behind. She began to speak as we stood in front of the metal door to the outside world leaving everything I knew behind.

“What was that all about?” She asked concerned.

“They sentenced me to death.” I said as her face went from concern to horror.

“Why? Why would they do that?! How could they do that?!” She looked sad.

“Because I failed and by casting me out into the world with nothing but the clothes on my back and the weapons I have found.” I said somberly.

“You’re not alone.” She said putting a hoof on my arm as she could not reach my shoulder, “I’m still here.”

“Great.” I said with a chuckle, “At least I still have the walking library.”

I looked to the door with trepidation and a bit of fear, not for my life but for hers. I was trained here and I grew up in this hellhole formerly called Earth. I stared into her brilliant violet eyes and sighed.

“Well let’s saddle up.” I said as the door opened and we set off into the world again unable to return with went forward towards Prim. Hearing that the Mojave Express was there and us needing cash it seemed like a good stop. Hopefully we could beat the storm and not run into any more colorful locals…

Chapter 4 Making Friends

Author’s notes: Why so much wanting to have the courier to play a major role?
I wrote him in to make damn sure people didn’t think Darius was him…
But if you keyboarding monkeys can give me a good reason to in the comments I will let him play a major part if not then no.
Also Taken was a good movie… and if you can’t tell I love movies…
~
The cruelty of my Brothers in arms actions was only overshadowed by Twilight’s somber mood and the graying skies as we walked out of Hidden Valley. The skies began to weep the life giving tears known as rain, something quite rare in the Mojave. For as long as I have lived in these wastes, I have never seen the land this bleak without sun. Maybe it was my own sadness slowly causing me to see the world around in a darker light but regardless, a storm was coming and we needed to get out of its sights.

The land around us was bear of any life save for some sporadic plants and tumble weeds. The roads and sand dunes were for better or worse clear. We walked through the broken field of rusty decaying airplanes like a destroyed image of an almost forgotten past. Twilight and I trekked through the chunks of torn up metal in an attempt to cut time from the trip to Prim.

“A great short cut.” I said angered as it started to lightly rain.

Twilight seemed to still be concerned with my emotional wellbeing, but I tried not to show any weakness. I won’t fail her or myself. A large wing fell from one of the planes with a thunderous noise causing Twilight to jump a little in fear as it fell near her. I raised my hand to show her to stop as I pulled the shotgun from my back and leveled it to scan the planes for movement. The sound of creaking metal was almost deafening accompanied by the thumps of heavy footsteps. Then almost as suddenly as the sound started it stopped when Twilight spoke.

“Is something wrong?” She asked but I merrily put a single finger over my mouth as a sign to cut the chatter.
I stood ready and cautious but soon felt as if the supposed danger has past. I lowered my weapon as Twilight spoke again.

“Look out!” She screamed with the sound of heavy footsteps closing on my right side.

I turned to see a Nightkin holding a metal pole that looked like it was just pulled out of the ground as a weapon. The creature was a true mutant; azure blue skin, mouth covered by a red bandana, it stood two feet taller than any man I’ve ever met and coming out of the cloak with muscles tensed mid-swing. I raised my shotgun to block the hit only to be thrown into a plane’s cockpit, glass shattering as I flew through it. I felt warm blood start to soak into my right sleeve as I got up to see the mutant standing raising his weapon to the air cheering.

“Yeah HA-HA!” It bellowed as it charged again.

I pulled the shotgun up as he leapt with inhuman strength onto me… I fired a single shell tore through his stomach spraying blood and splinters of bone out from the cockpit. Twilight must have been afraid as she called my name when it happened. He was a heavy son of a bitch but I flipped him off of me put one hand onto the metal support to gain leverage and pull myself out of the plane. Twilight sighed then spoke.

“Thank Celestia.” She trotted over to me.

The metal bending sounds once again grew louder in number and intensity.

“Fuck it RUN!” I screamed pushing Twilight forward to get her moving.

We bolted off trying to out run these inhuman monsters. We ducked, dived, jumped over or slid across the obstacles in our path. One came down upon Twilight like the fist of an angry god.

Twilight screamed I turned back to try to save her. It held Twilight in its hand by a good portion of her torso it turned to look at me as I ran towards it. I jumped and put my full force and weight into a tackle. I hit the mutant like he was a brick wall. I didn’t even move him more than a few inches only getting myself stuck on the ground next to him. I heard a small chuckle as he grabbed me by my head with a strength that would soon crack my skull open like an egg.

I raised the shotgun up with my right arm shoved it into his mouth and pulled the trigger spattering the bastard’s brain against the side of a toppled plane. He fell to the ground releasing Twilight from his grasp. I grabbed her, helped her to her hooves and got back to running. The rest must have been slowed down by the obstacles since we were smaller and more nimble and could bypass the random parts and metal chunks easier than they could.

With the end of the field in sight, I looked back seeing just glimpses of blurs. They all had stealth-boys and were damn near invisible to me. A streak of light flashed across the sky above followed by a loud peal of thunder.

Then the rain started to pour. Our feet and hooves made splashing noises as we crossed through the quickly forming puddles. I looked back I saw the outline of two Nightkin in the rain. I raised the shotgun with both hands, pumped it and fired a shot at the Nightkin. Getting nothing but another flash of lightning and the crash of thunder meant the shot must’ve missed. I ran with Twilight, the rain falling around us in a vicious torrent as the Nightkin started to gain on us. I stopped, then started aiming at the Nightkin again. I motioned Twilight to run for it but she only stopped with me and started to push me forward.

“Don’t be a hero!” She yelled pushing me with her magic away from the Nightkin who now at this point could be seen as walking waterfalls with all the rain falling from of them.

“Just go damn it! I got this!” I said trying to free myself from her powers.

Prim’s outer walls were within sight now only eighty feet away as I could see the NCR sentries guarding its newest conquest. I looked back at the Nightkin knowing that if we slow down we will be torn apart. Twilight let go with the spell and I was free once more so I continued to run towards the town with Twilight in tow. I turned back with shotgun raised as I heard the steps grow ever closer. An immensely large Nightkin, a king among mutants if you will, was in mid swing coming out of cloak. I fired a shot as lightning once again flashed above. The Nightkin stopped for a second in pain but must have brushed it off as it continued to follow. I slung the shotgun onto my back and pulled out the M1911 stopping to really aim the shot. Twilight stopped to watch me apprehensive about my actions since she seemed too tired to pull me forward once again with her magic.

I unloaded a mag into the bastard yet he just took the fire like I was throwing pebbles at him. I holstered the pistol then pulled the shotgun out from the sling on my back. I fired shot after shot pumping a new shell into place to drop the inhuman freak but soon, the dreaded click came. He still charged at a quick pace in spite of his heavily bleeding wounds. I pushed myself to get back to running as Twilight lead the way back to town which was now only forty feet away. I was reloading a mag into the pistol having slung my shotgun onto my back unable to reload it while maintaining this pace.

I turned around to fire a few more shots into the large freak. He came close to another swing as he raised his arms with a piece of rebar. I let loose six shots almost expending the mag. The Nightkin freak ran a few more steps before finally succumbing to his wounds still crawling towards me. I heard Twilight scream as I prepared to put this mutant out of its misery once and for all. I turned around to see another Nightkin holding Twilight like a child’s toy in a giant’s hand.

“Human… give up… or purple one dies!” The Nightkin grunted out.

“Put her down or I will shove this handgun so far down your throat that you will be shitting shell casings for weeks.” I said in an angered tone as I leveled the pistol with one round in the chamber and a spent mag.

“HaHaHA.” He bellowed, “Human… think… he big.” It said tightening its grip on Twilight making her yelp in pain.

It could rip her in half well before I could reach her. If I ran, I only had one shot, so I had to make it count. Lightning cut through the sky as I took aim and fired. Twilight fell from his hand as the bullet grazed his skull cutting the skin and chipping the bone. He grabbed his face with both hands and yelled out. I meant to shoot him in the head, but that worked too. I put the pistol away and got out the shotgun loading a single shell into it and pumped it into the chamber. I ran up to the beast and shoved the shotgun into its open mouth covering my eyes with a hand and firing a shot. Thunder rang out, muffling the shot.

I didn’t need to look at him to know it was over. The need to make it to town was still there as the rain only seemed to get stronger. With the clear and present danger taken care of, I looked to Twilight to see she was ok. She seemed fine if not shaken from the ordeal. I reloaded my weapons as I waited for her to get on her hooves.

“Why do you keep risking your flank to help me?” She said as she made it to her hooves.

“Because I have a heart of gold.” I said with a sarcastic chuckle.

“Really.” She said plainly.

“You wound me,” I said mocking pain in my shoulder only to have it replaced with true pain and the warmth of blood on my hand as the adrenalin faded away.

She looked at me like some kind of physician, “Stand still.” She said as her horn glowed a light lavender color.

“Why I’m fine… Aaahhh! The fuck are you doing?!” I said as she used her magic to pull something out of my shoulder.

“You had a piece of glass stuck in you. I had to pull it out before the wound got infected.” She said with a kind smile.

“I want my lollipop.” I said jokingly while holding my shoulder.

She laughed coyly, “We’ll see.”

We walked in the harsh rain until finally making it over to the crossing into Prim. A lone broken down bridge with boards of wood to cross the parts where the concrete gave way stood before us as I heard footsteps quickly running towards us. I reached for my pistol leaving my right hand on it when I saw a NCR trooper running over to us.

He a saluted us then said, “Lieutenant Hayes wants to see you sir.”

My hand twitched over the .45 pistol when I heard him speak. What could a trooper lieutenant want with me? Do they know I’m from the Brotherhood? No, no, no they couldn’t? Just to be safe I’m keeping my gun ready. Twilight interrupted my thoughts when she spoke.

“Do you mind?” She said scaring the trooper.

“Holy shit…” He said in a low voice.

“Look trooper, I just want to find a bed to sleep in then go about my travels.” I said trying to find a way out of this meeting.

“I understand sir but you have to see Hayes first. His tent is just down this road past the destroyed building.” He said pointing out the building with his hand.

“Okay, I will see him later.” I said trying to walk past the trooper.

“Don’t worry sir I will lead the way there.” He said as he waved us to follow.

I sighed then followed with Twilight close behind. The troopers around the tent seemed to get ready for a coming battle all checking their service rifles and armor. Their armor was a tan color to blend in with the sand of the wastes, but that was the most of the protection it gave since the armor was just cloth reinforced with a small metal chest and back plate. The troopers seemed to not care as we passed them. When we reached the tent, the trooper that lead us spoke.

“Okay the Lieutenant only wants to see you she will have to stand out here.” He said opening the tent flap and ushering me forward.

Twilight seemed worried but I dropped to a knee before her to comfort her.

“Don’t worry. I will be out soon, just read a book or something to pass the time.” I said in a calm voice but even I felt a bit afraid of the situation.

The Brotherhood of Steel has few friends and many enemies out here. The NCR is one of the biggest enemies to date. Sure the Brotherhood and NCR both stopped the Enclave from taking over all of California, but hatred and differences on how the salvaged tech should be used soured relations until war broke out between us. We held fast but soon got swept aside by their ever growing number of troops and territory gain. For me I personally, felt that the NCR had a good plan help others, collect taxes, bring law to the land and grow, but the Brotherhood never really worked on anything past collect tech to survive. I walked into the tent and saw a young man same armor with the rest of the troopers. The only difference being a gray, white, and black camo cover on his right shoulder. A green beret with a two headed bear a symbol of his republic sewed onto it was worn proudly on his head as he sat at a small table and motioned for me to sit.

I took a seat and removed the pistol from its holster and slowly propped it under the table just in case things went sour. I looked as his eyes, a look of deep thought was all I could discern before he spoke.

“Look, we need your help…” His voice trailed off a little.

“Really? Well how’s about a ‘no’ then? I just want to go to bed and then leave for the next town in the morning.” I said leveling the pistol at his gut out of sight under the table.

“I didn’t want to have to play the bad guy here, but if I have to, I will.” He said sternly.

“You’re a big, bad soldier boy. You can take on anything in the name off your republic right?” I said with a sarcastic tone.

“One of the sentries saw your fight with the Nightkin before you made it to town.” He spoke coldly.

“And?” I said shifting in the seat nervously.

“Well that fact you took out two Nightkin by yourself makes you either well trained or lucky and that’s what I need.”
I interrupted him before he could continue, “I don’t see the point here.”

“The point is the man known as the Courier cleared this town of Powder Gangers several weeks back and we were put in charge by brass back west to protect the town. But with the rest of the Gangers just down the road held up in the prison they made into a fortress. Raids have been an issue ever since we took this post.” Hayes said with a sigh at the end.

“And this is my concern why?” I said plainly.

“This is your concern because the trooper who saw your fight also remarked how well you tried to defend your purple pet…”
I interrupted him once again, “I have a very special set of skills. If she ends up hurt, I will find the bastard that hurt her, and I will kill him. Then I’ll use said skills to find and kill you.” I said grimly.

“I am not trying to be the bad guy. We have the Legion for that. We will even pay you. But we need your help taking out those Gangers… They have killed and burned so much around the town that we have to take the fight to them just to get some breathing room.” He said getting a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it up to take a long drag of it.

“I don’t want to hurt your friend and I won’t. I’m just saying that if you are willing to fight for more than yourself, that means you’re something the Mojave needs more than ever.” He said cigarette smoke expelling from his mouth.

“And what would that be?” I said now calmer.

“A person with a conscious heart.” He said taking a drag of the cigarette.

“So you’re playing on my sense of civic duty then? My good nature?” I said sarcastically.

“Yep.” Hayes said with a smile.

“Well I would love to wipe them from the roads and make it safer for people to travel but…”
He raised an eyebrow, “Yes?”

“I can’t just lead her into a fight. She doesn’t need to see that side of humanity again.” I said sadly remembering the chance encounter before we made it to the Brotherhood bunker.

“She can stay back here. I promise you nothing will happen to her while she’s in town. I will personally see to her needs if you choose to help us.” He said in a friendly tone.

“Well, I do need the caps…” I said contemplating the offer.

“So you will help?” He said anxiously.

“Sure. But only if you make sure she gets whatever she needs.” I said as I holstered the pistol and stuck out my left hand.
Hayes shook my hand, “You doing this good turn for the NCR, we will remember this.”

“Thanks. Just have the caps ready.” I said as I rose from the seat and headed for the door out.

“Take your time getting ready. Tell your friend bye for the moment and maybe get that wound checked out before you head out.” Hayes said as I pushed open the tent flap to walk back into the rain.

Twilight stood in the doorway of a building just in front of the bridge to Prim. She was shaking herself dry. I ran over to her and stepped into the dry space under the building’s roof. The troopers seemed to not mind the rain wearing thick covers over themselves to keep the water from soaking through.

“Is everything okay?” She asked but then stared at my shoulder were I was still bleeding from, “Your still hurt.”

“You’re perceptive.” I said winching in pain as she magically grabbed some cloth from her bag and covered the wound with it.

“So what’s going on?” She asked tentatively.

“You’re going to have to stay here. While I go out to get us some money so we can stay in beds tonight and not out in this rain.” I said rubbing the covered wound with my left hand.

“Why do I have to stay here? Can’t I come along?” She asked confused.

“I don’t want you to get attacked by those blue monstrosities again. Besides this will give you time to read.” I said with a nervous laugh as her eyes narrowed.

Her expression changed in a flash as she smiled, “Okay then. Your right though, it’s better I stay. Just let me cast a spell for good luck.” She leaned in and with a glow then a flash from her horn I felt, I felt as if nothing happened to me at all. Some of the troopers who saw this stared in amazement before returning to their duties.

“Okay… well let’s eat before I head out.” I opened a can of fruit something she and I could share.
The can was an old prewar relic with a worn label with the picture of peaches on it. Twilight seemed to not like it when she ate a piece.

“It’s not fresh…” She said making a face as if I had given her radroach meat.

“Well it’s the best taste you can get when the food in question is two hundred years old and contains enough preservatives to mummify a small dog.” I said as I ate another piece and handed her one more.

She and I both sat to eat the canned fruit. She ate not so happily finishing the can about to start another with me until a trooper walked into the doorway with water dripping from his body armor.

“My names Sergeant Lee. Are you the one who’ll accompany us?” He said in a professional tone.

“Yes I am.” I got up from the floor and looked at Twilight.

“Don’t worry, I will be back soon.” I said as I gathered my things to head out.

“Just don’t stay in the rain too long or you’ll catch your death.” She said kindly while the trooper stared at her.

Yeah the rain will do me in and not the bullets… Twilight glared at me mad as if I had said it to her. Maybe she was just mad I had to do this alone? I patted Lee on the shoulder snapping him back to reality.

“Are we leaving or not?” I asked Lee.

“Yes sir.” He said leading me out of the building.

I turned back to Twilight to see her standing in the doorway. I waved good bye at her and she waved back. Hopefully this won’t be a final good bye.

Me and ten troopers left the NCR camp right in front of the town of Prim. As we marched through the rain to the NCRCF, I felt bad for lying to Twilight. She didn’t need to see that life here was cruel and these sadistic people were making it worse. Not to mention we kinda needed the money to eat and pay for lodging.

I couldn’t shake the felling that I was being watched by someone. But seeing as I was wearing my black Kevlar vest also with my non-regulation weapons and hair cut amongst the NCR tan colored troopers, I stood out. I brushed off the feeling, chalking it up to paranoia and the fact that I was surrounded by a group of people who hated the very people I had once called family.

With the target getting ever closer my mind drifted off into less foreboding places as I marched with ten fresh-faced troopers who looked like they were thrown into this hell right after they had finished training.

I thought back to Twilight and how I met her. How everything seemed so cheery and interesting through her eyes. I was sad to leave her behind. Maybe if I bring her a book back she wouldn’t be so mad for me running off like that? As much as I knew she did not like our world, I really didn’t want her to leave it. For the first time in my life I had felt happy while treading the fine line of death that was ever present in the Mojave. I was walking into, for all intents and purposes, a death trap. The fact I was doing so was simply for the fact that with these caps I would earn, I could bring a smile onto her face with a new book, or maybe some fresh fruit and vegetables. I just wanted to return the happiness she gave me, to protect her and hold her close once more yet I still knew she would have to go home … A sense of sadness overcame me but not just mine I felt as if a voice had echoed my exact thoughts.

The prison was in sight now. It had large, rusted, barbed-wire fences to keep out all but the heavy rain. The watch towers held a small number of guards; one man per tower with a varmint rifle lazily scanning the land with their eyes. The large main building of the complex must have been the control center for the leader of the Powder Gangers. The rain gave us great cover as it showered the land harshly leaving most held up in doors. Lee stopped the troopers and myself with the raising of his right hand as he turned around.

“Okay Alpha team, move to your first objective and wait for signal.” Lee said as half of our number ran off to flank the prison from the back.

“The plan here is to kill Eddie, the leader of the Powder Gangers. Gangs without leadership die quickly out here. If we do this right, the Mojave will be a little more stable.” Lee said as he pulled a detonator from his pack. He checked the time with an old wrist watch using his hand to keep the rain off.

“For the republic!” He cheered as he pressed the button on the detonator.

Small explosions tore away chunks of the fence leading into the prison. We charged in with the sounds of service rifles blazing against the ill prepared gang’s defense. The gangers came out of every building rallying for a charge.

As we made it through the breach in the fence the troopers split apart into smaller two-man teams. I ran up the stairs of the tower overlooking the breach to get a better look of the battle field. My boots clanged loudly as I ascended the flight of stairs, only to see a ganger with 9mm pistol drawn. My shotgun was already raised but he got the first shot off. The round hit my vest with a force that could break bone, yet I was fine save for the loss of breath. I fired back with my 12-gauge tearing into him and throwing him over the railing onto the ground below. I continued to climb the stairs until I reached the top of the tower and saw no one just a small windowed room before me.

I entered the room with shotgun drawn only to be hit in the chest with one of the varmint rifles the watchmen where using. The weapon hit me with crushing force knocking me onto the floor. The ganger kicked the gun from my hand into the corner of the room as he lowered the rifle and pressed it into my neck choking the life from me. I gasped and thrashed about trying to throw him off of me. But soon my struggle started to come to an end as the world around me started to fade into black. As I felt my last breath slip away I thought about Twilight and I my head said sorry for the last time…

But then on the verge of death I heard her voice tell me to fight back, to live and that she wanted to see me back safe. I started gasping then jerked up for a moment knocking the ganger off me who already must have thought me dead because his guard was dropped. I leapt at him from the floor with renewed vigor and started to punch him viscously in the side as I slammed him into the wall. The rifle fell from his hands while he reacted by punching me in the mouth, knocking me back in to the doorway. I spit blood from my mouth as he pulled a switch blade from his pocket and began to flick it to expose the blade. I grabbed a bottle from the table smashing it against the table to leave the end sharp.

The ganger laughed, “You think you’re going to beat me in a knife fight with that?”

“No. That’s why I brought another gun.”

The ganger’s eyes widened as I threw the bottle at him while pulling the .45 pistol out from its holster. The bottle broke over his crossed arms as he tried to shield himself as he charged at me. I leveled the pistol at his chest and fire two shots. He dropped to the floor with thunder in the back ground. The sounds of battle were everywhere as I grabbed my shotgun putting it on my back so I could grab the rifle he dropped. The weapon was in bad repair but it still showed some promise of help as I heard a trooper yell out in pain. I searched the dead man’s pockets to gather up two mags of ammo for his old weapon.

I ran out of the room to the balcony to get a proper look at the field. The troopers from the side I came in on where not doing so well. Two of the five were dead face down in the wet dirt. One man was wounded in the leg behind the cover of some kind of mine cart and Lee was with the only other able bodied trooper being suppressed behind a set of flipped over tables by three gangers.

I leveled the rifle at the gangers suppressing Lee. The rain still fell harshly around them as I fired the first shot. The 5.56mm round tore through the chest of the ganger closest to the watch tower as I pulled the bolt back the other two gangers began to shoot up at the tower. I dove for cover the bullets tore through and bounced all over the balcony. One grazed my leg causing a slight pain. I fought through it as I rose up again to take another shot. This time I fired at the one closest to Lee. The round tore into the ganger’s stomach causing him a lot of pain as he fell to the ground. I readied another shot, pulled the trigger and nothing happened. The rifle must’ve jammed. I dove back into cover as the last ganger started the suppression fire again.

I popped out to see Lee and the other trooper charge over their cover and lay into the ganger with their service rifles. The ganger thrashed about as the rounds tore through him and he finally hit the floor. I tossed the piece-of-shit varmint rifle off the balcony and charged down the stairs to meet back up with Lee and the rest of the teams. I saw Alpha was doing well until a well thrown piece of dynamite blew the legs and right arm off a trooper as he ran forward.

The rest of the troopers surged forward and soon the gangers started to hide behind cover in fear of the NCR’s wrath. The troopers laid a torrent rounds into the surviving ganger’s cover of tables and flipped over metal mine carts. As I reached Lee, he was rallying his men for one last push I heard the tail end of his speech.

“Do you apes want to live forever?!” He said with a roar as he charged forward weapon blazing with the seven remaining troopers towards the ganger’s positions.

Those who stood up out of cover to fire were torn apart. The troopers rushed forward even faster when they saw that the ganger morale had faltered and they began to retreat with their proverbial tails between their legs. The troopers cut them down like rabid dogs as they ran, leaving none alive. I ran over to Lee as he and his men posted up at the door leading into the main building of the complex.

“Okay everyone check your weapons and ammo.” He said as his men prepared to breach doorway.

I looted the body of one of the runners that they gunned down to find a stick of dynamite, an engraved lighter, some caps and a kitchen knife. I took the caps, lighter and dynamite. I heard the sound of one of the troopers yell as he kicked the door in only to be met with a hail of bullets. The 9mm’s hit him like the rain hitting the earth. They all must have had submachine guns. Lee pulled the trooper out from the doorway and checked his pulse.

“Damn…” He mumbled as I posted up on his left side and to the right was the doorway.

“Any ideas?” Lee asked as rounds hit the frame of the door making him shudder as bits of wood and concrete chipped off the cover.

“One.” I said as I showed him the dynamite.

I turned away from him and crouched to try to make a space dry enough to get the wick lit. I shielded the wick from the rain and after three attempts it lit. I rain started to let up before I threw the stick into the building. Various screams of vulgarity accompanied the sound of the blast as Lee’s men charged in. The surviving gangers were disorientated. But those few the blast killed were blown apart, their blood and body parts strewn about the floor. The two standing guards were mowed down by the troopers 5.56mm rifles. The two other guards lay broken on the floor.

“First room clear!” A trooper yelled out as they charged through the blown-open metal bars. Sporadic gun fire and screams could be heard as they made their way through the rooms of the first floor.
After a few moments the sounds stopped and the troopers eagerly posted up before the stairs leading up to the final floor.

“First floor secure!” Lee said proudly to his men stopping to look at me.

“Okay big hero, you ready for the next one?” He asked sarcastically.

“Why not? I have shells to spare.” I said to the rousing cheer of the troopers.

“Great. First rank, then second rank up those stairs!” Lee yelled out and the troopers started up the stairs.

I was the second man on to the stairs as the first turned the corner only to be shot by a ganger wearing a vest not too similar to my own, with sunglasses and a small 9mm submachine gun. The trooper fell to the ground coughing up some blood as I pulled him from harm’s way as the ganger fired another burst at where he was laying. The trooper thanked me and handed me his weapon with a few mags to work it with. He coughed again blood coming out of his wound and mouth.

“Work… *cough* you’re magic.” He said as another trooper the one who was shot in the leg started to work feverishly to patch the wounds.

He lay on the ground for the moment while the would-be medic tried to save him. I grabbed his helmet and put it on the end of the rifle’s barrel and stuck it out to get the ganger’s attention. It worked as he fired again. So he was still in the stairway, but where? I asked for a piece of glass or some kind of reflective surface to use. One of the trooper passed a pair of sunglasses along the chain of people. They looked rather nice but still had some age to them. The lenses were quite shiny and very reflective. I lowered them to the floor and angled them to let me see where the enemy was. He stood at the top of the stairs.

I ran my finger along the wall blocking off that side of the stair case to what was the approximant top. I put away the shotgun and leveled the rifle at where he should be. Then I let lose the whole mag emptied after witch I heard the sound of a body falling down the stairs.

They looked at me with joy as I shrugged, “Lucky guess…”

The troopers rushed by the body of the ganger leaving the two injured troopers behind to tend to their wounds. As they made it up the stairs I heard the sounds of more gunfire then an eerie silence. A lone person ran down the stairs quickly. I raised my shotgun and aimed for the way they would come out but I didn’t have to shoot as I saw it was Lee.

“Eddie’s a deady, we can take it from here. I radioed ahead and told Hayes of your good work.” He saluted me then went back up the stairs.

I put away my shotgun and gave the injured trooper his weapon back. As I was leaving the building I saw a room off to the side with medical supplies and beds with random stack of books on the table off in the corner next to a lone chair. I went into the room to take anything of value as bonus for a good days work. Of the things I found were mostly destroyed and ruined books but the few stimpacks I found did make this not a total waste. Within the stack of charred and worn books I found a lone book still in readable condition the cover said ‘Psychology: a guide to understanding the human mind’ I shrugged and threw the book into my bag along with the stims. I walked out of the building and back into the wasteland. The rain had started to calm down and the sun showed itself once more as a rainbow appeared.Just before I set off back to Prim to collect my reward and to give Twilight a gift for being patient with me I put the sunglasses on...

Chapter 5 Anguish

Author’s note: Character development. It can happen without a gun going off. Just sayin.
Also sorry if this is not back on par with my previous work I'm a bit rusty taking up the keyboard again after like three months.
Either way enjoy more to come soon.

***

The clouds parted and once again the world returned to its brighter self, if only for a while. The sun would soon set over the ridge and I would finally be back in Prim. My nerves were still on edge and my body sore from the day’s ordeal. I was tired in body, mind, and spirit. The sky still shown the beauty of the rainbow only to have it lost with the setting sun. But when I saw the town once again I felt renewed. At least until I saw who was standing at the edge.

Twilight stood there with two troopers and Hayes standing close behind her. That was to be expected but a strange looking figure caught my eye.

The man was leaning against the wall within ear shot of Twilight and Hayes. His face was obscured by a hood but I could make out that his skin was pale which was quite rare in the wastes but his armor stood out even more so. It was a leather suit made from the various geckos that called the Mojave home. The leather was an aged to a grayish-white color by the sun and long travels. Its various holes showed that conflict was in his nature or just seemed to follow him around. A long repeater hung from his back; the scope on it was an archaic piece of tech running almost the length of the gun. A well-used combat knife hung from his belt with a silenced .22 pistol hanging almost hidden on his right side. He seemed to be waiting for something, someone or just stopping in town for a spell.

Twilight eyes gleamed when I approached and she charged out to meet me. Hayes stood with his troopers until he waved them away with his left hand while taking a cigarette out with his right. He lit it and took a long drag as Twilight reached out to hug me.

I hugged her back, “Great to see you too.” I said unable to contain a smile.

“Are you ok? I saw… Are you hurt?” Twilight said choking her words.

“Fine, except for a new wound I need you to patch… What’s this about you ‘seeing’ something?” I asked while letting go of her.

Her expression changed from one of joy to one of regret, “I, I…” Twilight stammered.

“Yes?” I asked raising an eyebrow.

“I used a spell to be able to see the world through your eyes…” She said kicking a hoof in the still wet dirt.

My expression turned from happy to sad, “I didn’t want you to see any of that…” I said in a somber tone.

Her face turned a slight shade of red, “I was worried that this world wasn’t safe…”

“Look, you didn’t have to.” I dropped down on one knee to try to talk at eye level. It did not help much.

“You didn’t have to risk your flank to keep saving me from the horrible things that roam your world. It’s like your whole world is the Everfree Forest!” A tear almost came to her eye.

“I… I don’t know what to say…” I said thinking about how I really never had someone worried about me for a change and not my gear or how much I found.

“*Cough* I could come back if you would like.” Hayes said after watching the scene unfold.

I looked at Twilight who seemed to be a mix of emotions, “We can talk about this later tonight.”

I got up off my knee and walked over to Hayes, “The pay better be damn good, or I will make you deep- throat a shotgun barrel.”

“What? Isn’t the thanks of the Republic reward enough?” He said with a smirk.
I stared at him with a glare that spoke tomes to the hatred I felt at the moment.

“Can’t take a joke, can you?” Hayes said as he pulled a small bag from off his side and tossed it to me.
I poured the bag out into my left hand. I counted the caps… only eighty fucking caps. I would have plastered his brains across the pavement but I was stopped by him talking again.

“The rest is waiting for you at the Mojave outpost.” He took a long drag from the cigarette, “A major wants to meet the hero of the Republic.” Hayes said in a mocking tone.

“Fine but we are spending the night here on the NCR’s tab first.” I said in a calm tone.

“Only because I’m such a nice guy.” He waved a trooper over passed him a bag with a whisper and sent him down the road into Prim proper. “Just follow the road and you’ll find some warm beds already paid for thank you very much.” He said with a smirk as he turned around and walked back to his tent.

I saw the strange figure walked off when I looked at him. He followed Hayes as if stalking prey until I lost sight of him behind some rubble. Twilight seemed to still be upset and wanted to talk some more but I just looked into her bright eyes and spoke.

“When we find a place to bed down for the night we can talk farther. Right now I want to lie down and lick my wounds.” I said as I started walking down the road with a little fatigue showing.

She pouted a bit as we passed the Mojave Express office. An elderly man walked out from the building looking eager to talk. But I showed no signs of stopping so he merely returned to the office closing the door behind him disappointed. Twilight gazed upon the decrepit roller coaster in amazement. If only I could see this world through her violet eyes, maybe it wouldn’t be such a shithole to me…

She stopped at the front door of the Bison Steve admiring the faded neon bull sign overlooking the roadway. I felt weak, maybe the shot I took to the chest wasn’t stopped entirely or the harsh work of the day had taken its toll. As I approached the door I stumbled and Twilight caught me with her body. Her purple coat of hair felt soft against my dry skin as I got back up and opened the door for Twilight to enter.

I felt a sense of safety and warmth from the old lady behind the reception desk. As I approached the woman, I noticed that the place seemed clean, even by post-war standards. Dust and grime permeated all corners yet the main rug seemed to be in good shape. The walls were covered with tattered wall paper yet had many carefully hung decorations; from old posters to the occasional skull or worn-out weapon. The place had an old world western theme, yet it felt homely.

Twilight stared at the skulls probably thinking about their ‘realism’. I reassured her that they were just decorations put up to attract people.

“Those old things are just wall pieces to look at while you wait to get a room.” I said in a cheerfully deceiving tone.

“That seems very morbid…” Her voice trailed off before the old lady moved closer and spoke.

“Welcome to the Bison Steve motel you two must be the strange couple that trooper paid for.” The old woman spoke in a grandmotherly tone.

“I’d hope there aren’t many out there like me. Then I couldn’t be one of a kind.” I smiled as she knelt down to pet Twilight.

“Aren’t you just the cutest thing?”

“Please stop doing that…” Twilight said unhappily.

“Bwahaha!” I bellowed.

The woman stood up and glared at Twilight confused.

“She’s not from around here.” I interjected holding back a laugh.

“Quite… Well here’s the key to your room.” She said regaining her smile and composure.

“Thank you.” Twilight said as I took the key and went into the lobby.

Twilight stayed to talk to the receptionist some more so I took the time to look around a bit. The walls were a shade of yellow with decaying drywall breaking through the paint in large areas. Two red recliner chairs were in one corner opposite of something strange. The weird guy from before was sitting in a chair much like the recliners just with less springs jutting out. His face was now uncovered. His red hair, pale skin and even paler gray eyes made him look like an apparition of a Brother lost long ago.

He smiled somewhat coldly as he waved me over to him. As I walked I could not help but utter the name Forrest Richtoven. One not said since the loss of Helios One. I, like the other paladins, believed him dead. Just another person lost to the war. I reached for my .45 slowly, but was stopped by him speaking in a straight to the point manner.

“No need for that here ‘brother’.” He said raising a hand patting a chair next to him, “Sit, we should talk.”
I moved my hand away from the holstered gun, “Fine, but what goes the ghost of the Brotherhood want with me?”

“Aww, it’s good to be remembered… But the ghost has returned and the name fits even better now don’t you think?” He said with what I could only describe as a shit eating grin.

“Answer my question.” I said as I sat down next to him.

“What? No questions? No ‘O by the codex you’re alive!’?” He asked with a grin that spoke tomes about how he saw the situation… in his favor… best not to see why.

“Why are you here?” I said annoyed.

“Don’t worry about me. Bet you received worse treatment when they threw you out.” He laughed a little.

I leapt up from the chair and drew the handgun to his forehead right above the gray almost lifeless eyes.
Then I felt something cold against my neck… jagged like the teeth of a death claw.

“Don’t worry about me. I am here to see that you can do some good in this world not like our short sighted ‘former brothers’.” He said cynically.

“How did you know?” I asked swallowing throat pressing harder against the blade.

“I was called ghost before I left for a reason you don't need to know. Plus you’re not a hard man to follow. Not exactly keeping low; wasting powder gangers, saving two curious caravan guards and being soldier boy for the NCR. Good for now, but you need to do more.” He said coldly.

“What do you mean?” I asked weapon still pointed in his face, his eyes never showing a pang of fear.

“You have important roles to play as does your little friend… People are going to try to take her power for themselves. I am going to make sure you play the right part and that her unique abilities don’t fall into the hands of those who seek to destroy this world again.” He said pulling the blade away from my neck and spinning it before placing it back into a holster.

“What stake do you have in her? In me?” I asked moving the M1911 45. closer to his head.

“My stake is that you are not ready to wander alone ‘brother’ and I’d hate to see a good paladin die. So I offer my aid.” He said putting a hand out as a gesture of faith.

I lowered my weapon. “Okay, seems like a weird way to try and help.”

“Have to make sure you’re not too green for this, it’s a hard place to survive out here.” He said with a strange smile.

I shook his hand, and then heard him holster a small pistol.

“Offer peace in one hand, take life with the other.”

“Learn that lesson well. Ah, your friend’s coming back. Tell her I am an old friend and remember to get some rest never know when you will not get the chance again.” He laughed a little, “Remember I will be watching.”

He walked away before Twilight got to me. Her expression showed that a lot of questions would come my way.

“Who was that?” She asked curious as always.

“Just an old friend...” I said unsure of where I believed him not to mention trusted him.

“Our room is on the second floor, third door down.” She said with a happy gallop towards the stairs.

As I ascended the stairs, my fatigue started to catch up to me with every step. I suffered through it for her sake if only to not have a repeat of our time in Goodsprings. When I finally reached our floor, I saw an area far removed from the clean and proper bunker I called home. The red carpet on the floors was almost black with grime. The walls a bland tan color with broken planks of wood jutting out.

“Five star all the way…” I said in a sour tone.

I went up to the door. It was marked a small sign hung poorly saying honeymoon suite. I rolled my eyes in utter displeasure. Haynes must fancy himself a comedian… I sighed then unlocked the door to see the place I’d have to rest my weary head in.
The door flung open and Twilight rushed in to lay down on the first thing passable as a bed… It was a bright red heart shaped bed with frilly shit covering it and a small mountain of pillows against the headboard. The sight of the room was some sort of throwback to the time of leopard print and overly ornate displays of affection. The lights were dim scarlet color and a bottle of some kind of alcohol sat on the night stand next to the bed.

I looked around for anything to lie on besides the gaudy monster of a bed before me. All I saw was the floor and a set of chairs and a fur rug next to a fireplace. Twilight seemed to be relieved that she no longer had to stand. I on the other hand wished to get back at Haynes for making this difficult. I swallowed my pride and gave into my lesser instincts. I laid down beside her taking care not to disturb her rest as I removed pieces of my armor.

With the burden of my armor gone I felt better until Twilight turned over and started to ask me about everything from how I was feeling to what she saw using her spell.

“Are you okay? Why did you have to do that to those people? Is Hayes a friend of yours?” She asked showing concern.

I sighed annoyed at this point seeking any reprieve from her incessant questioning.

“… Can we please not do this?” I asked in a sad tone.

“I am merely trying to better understand…”

“You can’t understand… the world you know is nothing like the wastelands formerly known as Earth.” I said in a growl.

Twilight fell silent and turned back over.

My heart grew heavy but at least now I could go to sleep and in the morning I would tell her I was sorry…

Even within ones dream you cannot escape from reality long…

I tossed and turned within the bed finding little comfort in sleep. The horrors of the wastes proved to be the stronger once again as I descended into another nightmare… or memory…

I sat upon a cart made out of a rusted car’s remains with my legs kicking off the side lazily. In the cart lay an assortment of edible goods; from food to junk picked up along the way. Four dark figures walked beside the cart with two of them carrying knives, one unarmed and the last leading them had a double-barreled shotgun. After what felt like hours to me the cart stopped suddenly almost knocking me off.

“Get down.” Said one of the dark figures as he pushed me down into the cart out of view.

I fell back into the cart under some clothes picked up at the last stop. He then moved to the front of the cart with the others close behind their forms looked tense. I started to breath heavier but I calmed myself down so I could hear what was going on at the front.

“We are not looking for any trouble here…” A freighted female voice said.

“Too bad...” With that I heard the female voice scream and the shotgun firing off…

I moved a few things around to try to get a look at what happened. As I moved the last few things covering my eyes I was blinded by the sun’s light…

I leapt up from the bed in a cold sweat eyes very much wide open now. Panting I looked about my surroundings. The hotel room looked familiar in it’s all-but-gaudy glory.

“Twilight… I’d love to have that talk now.” I said with a bit of cheer in my voice.
There was no response.

“Twilight? You still asleep?” I turned to see she was gone.

“Damn it…” I shouted.

With haste in my actions, I jumped from the bed and donned my clothes and armor. Shaken at the thought that she may be in danger or that she just left… Left. She said they would come back to retrieve her at some point. I never really put much thought into that until now.

I shook my head and fought back anger… and perhaps sadness. I grabbed my messengers bags taking one can from it then donning it also. The can opened easily and as I eat and made my way out of the room I heard steps outside the door. I stopped for a moment then rushed to the door swinging it open to see no one there.

I sighed then stepped out into the empty hallway locking the door behind me. The colors seemed dimmer, the walls more decrepit and the light from the outside sun bleaker. I pressed forward down the stairs back to the lobby to return the keys to the withered old hag that run this dump.

“Here’s your key to that shit box.” I said in a growl.

She seemed to detest my choice of words, “Well aren’t you too good for us.”

“Yes I am, you savage…” I said as I tossed her the keys and beating a hasty retreat.

I marched through the doors to return to the wastes so I may be alone with my thoughts. I opened the doors out into the world where I was alone. Anyone and everyone was just a passerby another soul awaiting its turn to return to the infernal shattered earth.

As I walked past the Mojave Express office a lone man walked out to meet me.

“Hey you there, youngster?” A man with age and something stranger written into his dark features said with a small envelope in his hand.

“Yes?” I said with a sigh wishing to leave this place and be on my way.

“You seem to be a wanderer in these parts. Am I right?” He said with a small smile.

I noded my head in agreement.

“Then can you take this to the Mojave outpost just a mile down that road? Lacey would be happy to compensate you for the trouble.” He said handing over the envelope.

“I guess… Seeing as I am heading that way anyways…” I took the envelope from his strangely cold hands.

“Thanks. May the road be safe for your travels.” He said with a cold smile before turning away and returning to the office.

His cold expression left me with more than a few questions, but it mattered little to me I just wanted to get along on my merry way. With the envelope tucked away I set down the long I-85 to some piss-ant outpost to maybe get some more caps into my bag. Walking by the decaying ruins of an old drive thru movie theater with the broken rusted husks of cars left behind from before the great war filled me with a bit of malice.

I walked farther down the road until I reached an abandoned State Highway Patrol station. The building seemed to house no living creature in its concrete tomb so I entered to see if I could not salvage something of use.
The room was awash in a black hue due to the lack of natural light. I felt a lighter in a puddle of blood as I stepped forward to get a better look at the area before me. I picked the lighter up and with a few frantic attempts I was rewarded with a guiding flame.

As I looked throughout the room I saw only a horrific mess of blood, body parts, flipped desks and ruined prewar paper work. The smell was over powering. The scent of blood and the decay of the bodies of humans… to the best of my knowledge, sickened me to my very core. I grabbed a black rag from my bag and covered my face to repel the foul odor. With my makeshift mask on I treaded deeper into the building picking over the remains of those most likely just as adventurous as I. Finding little to nothing of use I turned to a hallway from which I heard an eerie sound like that of a Night-stalker’s claw running along a suit of T-45D. I raised my shotgun in hopes that if it was in deed a Night-stalker or any creature that it would not get first strike.

I checked the weapon making sure I had it more than loaded enough to take down anything I may stumble across. With weapon drawn I slowly marched forward down the hallway checking my corners and the two doors along the way.
Door one I tried to open quietly but the lock was jammed. I walked silently as I could to the next door and set up. A low, inhuman hiss descended into the air leaving my morale nearly broken. Thoughts of all manner of horrid beasts filled my head but I shook them out and lined up before the door.

“3… 2… 1…” I said before I kicked in the lock of the door.

I charged forward to see only a withered corpse flesh eaten away by time and predators in a restroom. At the base of the shattered toilet at the feet of the corpse atop it lay a single blood stained sheet of paper. With that I heard another hiss louder than the last and even more disorientating. I swore it came from the corpse before me…

I moved closed weapon aimed for the corpses head just in case. I stared at the unmoving corpse then at the piece of paper. I reached for the paper slowly as if to try to not wake the corpse… With a loud snarl I fell back the corpse stayed still as it ever was. Perhaps my time in that vault did more damage than I thought. The paper was held tightly in my trembling hand…
I sighed got up and gained my composer. The note felt cold and wet as if the blood was neither fresh nor human. I studied the note further and found a portion that was not completely stained beyond comprehension.

‘Scout unit Lazarus report

The feeble force at Prim stands little chance against a proper raid. If not taken in a day it would fall within a week of blockage. Recommendation: wait for a sizable force then smash into them, crushing their will to fight.

Goodsprings as of now holds no value to us and as such shall be razed if any usurpers are found. Recommendation: leave them to their farms as they pose no threat to us.

The Mojave outpost a bastion of our enemy and a strategic point on the map stands well against an attack from outside. Many travel its boundaries freely and this could be used to our advantage. Recommendation…’

The rest is indecipherable mess of blood and grime.

I dropped the note and turned to leave the small restroom. I didn’t know what to make from that note but that wasn’t important to me right now. As I turned to face the last door a horrendous scream left me afraid. I readied myself for the task at hand. Whatever had chewed these people apart lay just beyond this door.

I set up at the door same as the last.

“3… 2… 1…” I kicked the door inward splintering the old word wood apart and taking the door off its hinges.

I stormed in weapon ready to bear against any foe who dared stand against me…