Note: This is the second chapter of my story which basically follows the lone wanderer, Ava's journey through Fallout 3 with my own twist. Fallout 3 as you know is property of Bethesda Softworks.
What Was Missing Part Two
Ava was becoming increasingly annoyed and increasingly guilty for feeling that way. For over a month now this mysterious person who had apparently taken on a whole raider settlement alone had been completing quests before she could. She'd heard of trouble at a place called Cantebury Commons, only to find out some guy had already convinced the perpetrators to give up their battle. Apparently he disappeared before they could even thank him. She'd also heard that someone had saved a group of rangers at the Statesman Hotel. Clearing a tunnel of mirelurks, saving prisoners from super mutants... she knew it was the same guy because she found the same type of .44mm bullets imbedded in the enemy and he liked to use mines and grenades. It was the same person. It had to be.
He had even been retrieving scrap metal for Walter at the waterworks. He now had more scrap metal than he needed for the moment and couldn't afford to pay Ava for hers. All the old guy would tell her was that it was a man and that he was young, and that he had boasted about finding all the metal in a super mutant hideout which he had recently 'taken care of'.
It was frustrating her to no end. In Megaton she had just missed him, she was always 'just missing him' as he always seemed to be one step ahead.
She slammed the shack door behind her and Charon.
"I know he's doing good as well and it's commendable but...argggh!" she kicked an old tin can into the kitchen.
"Welcome home Madame, I see we are in a fine mood this evening."
Ava glared at Wadsworth, her house robot.
"A joke perhaps, to lighten the mood? Or maybe a fabulous new haircut for Madame, I daresay you'd suit the 'Fallen Angel'..."
Ava raked a hand through her shoulder-length hair in frustration.
"No I would not like a haircut! I would like to find out whoever this man is and...and..." she sighed and looked to Charon, who was stood by the door, silent the whole time. "I guess I'd thank him for doing what he's doing. Maybe...it's a good thing, of course it is. The Capital Wasteland needs more people like him, whoever he is. Anyway if I have less to do I can concentrate my efforts on..." She didn't finish her sentence. She was tired.
Telling the man in Arefu that his sister had been brutally murdered by raiders had taken it out of her emotionally. The way he reacted, unexpectedly grabbing onto her, sobbing on her shoulder...it was all too much. She had a lot to do and needed some rest. In the morning she would have to return to the Citadel and speak with the Brotherhood of Steel.
It was over a week before Ava and Charon returned to Megaton. The scenery around the town was as depressingly barren as the rest of the wasteland and yet the familiarity was strangely comforting to her. Megaton was her base of operations and in many ways, her home now. Even the inhabitants, xenophobic and gloomy as most of them were, had become comfortable to be around.
As she approached the town she noticed to her right that Billy Creel and some other settlers were filling in a large pit.
Curious but eager to get back into town, she ignored it and headed in through the large, rusted doors. There was a commotion inside; a group of settlers were gathered at the bottom of the slope. Lucas Simm, sheriff of Megaton greeted her by the door.
"Hey there, aren't you a sight for sore eyes."
"What's going on?" asked Ava, slightly bewildered to see the townspeople chattering excitedly.
"You, missy, missed one hell of a fight. Town got attacked by one of those ugly, green bastards. Big one, too, bigger than I've seen 'em. Tall as the town gates there, came out of nowhere!"
"A Behemoth!" exclaimed Ava in surprise. "Really? What happened?"
"We'd have been done for if it wasn't for the brave lad who warned us of the beast's approach and took it down before I'd shot it more than twice. Hell of a thing. Buried it outside of town."
That explained the pit. Ava couldn't help the feeling irritated. More at herself for not being there than at this person who had saved the town. Still, she was angry.
"Is he still here?"
"Sure, he's a hero in this town like you. Got himself surrounded by the grateful townsfolk and young ladies who won't let him leave. Still, he's welcome to stay with us an' I told him that much."
Lucas nodded to the crowd.
So he's still here, she thought.
She swallowed her frustration and decided the only decent thing to do was to introduce herself and thank the guy. She took her rifle off and handed it to Charon then marched down the hill and pushed through the crowd. She could hear a male's voice within the din.
"Sure ladies, I guess I can stick around for a while..."
She came to a stop behind a guy who was talking to two female settlers - Daisy and...? Ava didn't know the other's name. They were glancing at each other and giggling. She hadn't seen many people giggle since she left the Vault. Ava found such carefree merriment disturbing. A quick glance told her it was definitely him. Two .44 Magnums rested on his hips and he had a grenade belt with most of the grenades missing. He had dark, if not black, short and messy hair and was wearing a brown leather jacket.
The girls noticed her and he must have caught something in their eyes because he turned around and smirked.
"Well, Megaton is certainly full of beauties; I can't believe I missed you last time!" His green eyes shamelessly looked her over. He cast a look over his shoulder.
"Sorry ladies, looks like I found the one for tonight-"
He didn't see Ava's fist coming. It smashed into his cheek with more force than he thought possible from a girl. It would have sent a normal guy crashing backwards but he had just enough agility, and a little bit of luck, to remain on his feet. He heard the girl call him "asshole" over her shoulder as she stomped away.
Holding his cheek, he stumbled after her.
"Hey, what was that for?" he called as he followed her through the gap of settlers staring silently in her wake.
He stopped as he saw her head up to a house, rifle in her hand and a tall, equally equipped guy at her back, but he doesn't see his face as they round the corner. A door slammed. He rubbed his cheek, feeling the area was starting to swell up.
"Geez, I guess she was taken."