Death Comes In Cowboy Boots, a fallout fanfic

Death Comes In Cowboy Boots

I do not own Fallout New Vegas, that belongs to Bethesda and Obsidian.

As Ronald Curtis slowly regained consciousness, cursing as he felt the mother of all migraines slowly approaching, he began to take in his surroundings. He was inside of a dirty motel room, with most of the furniture having been pushed into the corner. A layer of dirt and grime covered everywhere and Curtis had a suspicion that certain shady deals had been committed at this place. As he tried to stand up, he found himself incapable of that, given the fact he had been tied to a chair.

Worry began coursing through Curtis, as he tried to remember what exactly had happened. His head felt hazy, as if someone had put his brain to sleep. All Curtis could remember was sending a message to Vulpes, informing them about his success at sabotaging the NCR railways, and then…then, blackness. A frown appeared on Curtis' face; why couldn't he remember what happened?

While Curtis was trying to figure out what had happened, the door to the motel room opened up. Curtis lifted his head up, to see a man enter the room. Even from this distance, Curtis could see the stranger was taller than him, and had some muscle to his frame. The stranger had on a pair of worn out jeans and a grey buttoned-up shirt, with a pair of scuffed cowboy boots and a dirty cowboy hat. As the stranger slowly walked towards the restrained Curtis, more details could be made out of the man. His skin was weathered and tanned, obviously from years of rough travelling, and his greying-brown hair was just brushing against his shoulders. A layer of grime and dirt covered the man's face and it was obvious he was in need of a shave, given the stubble.

But that wasn't the most noticeable feature of this stranger, not by a longshot. No, what had caught Curtis' attention straight away was the fact that this stranger's face looked messed up beyond all belief. The entire left side of this man's face was covered in scarred flesh and misshapen bones, as if his face had been smashed in and someone had tried to resemble it, but was missing a few pieces. The stranger's right eye was a hazel colour, but his left eye was a dull milky white, showing off the fact that he couldn't properly see out of it. The stranger seemed somehow familiar to Curtis, as if he should know who this was, but once again his memory had failed him.

"Mornin' there, Captain Curtis." The stranger stated, cracking his knuckles loudly. "Hope ya slept well, cause it might be the last good night sleep you have for a long, long while."

"W-Who are you?" Curtis inquired. "Let me go, please. The NCR will be looking for me and –"

"Oh yeah, the NCR are lookin' for ya." The stranger answered. "Searching all over the area for ya, Captain Curtis. Or should I say, Frumentarius Picus?"

The temperature of the room seemed to have dropped several degrees, as Picus stared into the cold eyes of the stranger before him. While the Legion spy wasn't showing any emotions on the outside, on the inside Picus was a bundle of nerves. His cover had been blown, his secret revealed and the Frumentarii was pretty sure that the stranger before him wasn't a supporter of the Legion. Taking a deep breath and hoping beyond hope that somehow, someone would rush in and save him, Picus looked up at his captor.

"How dare you, I am not a Legion scum!" Curtis snarled, hoping to sound as convincing as possible. "When I get out of here, I'm gonna make sure you're standing in front of an execut–"

Picus' head went snapping backwards, as the stranger's fist made contact with Picus' nose. The Legion spy let out a flurry of curse words, as the taste of copper filled his mouth and specks of blood went flying everywhere. The stranger just stood there calmly, staring down at the injured Picus, as he cracked his knuckles.

"I was out on the Strip, visiting Vault 21, where I ran into this woman." The stranger explained. "Nice gal, bit gossipy, goes by the name Martina Groesbeck. Said she was an informant for ya, which I couldn't help but find interesting."

"She just offers me information on the Three Families, that's all. The Omertas are under suspicion from the NCR, and we were looking into them." Picus growled. "I'm not fucking Legion, okay?!"

"Then how come Boone and I found ya at the radio tower late at night, talking to someone called Lupa?" The stranger asked. "And how come ya called yourself Frumentarius Picus, instead of Sergeant Curtis? Picus buddy, you've been caught out."

"…..who are you?" Picus inquired.

"I go by quite a few names, honestly. Travelled a bit, tend to be called new names." The stranger admitted. "To the White Legs tribe up in Utah I'm called Asekene, to the people of Grey Dog Canyon I'm called Lucky, to the town of Wither Roots I'm called the Dog-Faced Gremlin, to the Twin Oak Caravan Company I'm called the Intelligent Monster, to the Great Khans I'm called the Cowboy, to the Legion I'm called Macello, to the NCR I'm called the Courier. But you can call me Eli Cameron, your angel of death."

"Oh shit." Picus muttered, his eyes widening in fear.

"You've heard of me, then?" Eli Cameron inquired, a cold smile appearing on his face. "But from where, I wanna know. Only started hearin' about me recently, and what I've done to your precious Legion in the Mojave? Or have you heard of my older exploits, of how I've been huntin' down and killing Legion scum since I was a young man of 17?"

"Just let me go, please." Picus pleaded.

"Did ya hear about how I managed to infiltrate the city of Malpais, and bring down the great Vetus Leo? One of Caesar's greatest soldiers, the man who helped Joshua Graham to conquer most of New Mexico for the Legion, and I managed to sneak into his tent and slit his withered old throat while he slept." Eli Cameron continued, a hint of nostalgia to his voice. "Or how I managed to blow up most of Denver, with the help of the Broken Skulls gang? Good guys, those Broken Skulls, even if they did resort to cannibalism sometimes….."

"You were the one responsible for the Purging of Denver?" Picus inquired, eyes wide with shock.

"Didn't ya here me, boy? I said I had help that day, from the Broken Skulls gang." Eli growled, glaring at Picus. "Tough sonnabitches, those Broken Skulls. Led by one angry bitch, name of Molly Weiss, but she preferred being called 'Rotgut' on account of her love of making hooch. Nice gal, that Molly, even if she liked eating people."

"You worked with cannibals, and you call me scum?" Picus fired back.

"The Broken Skulls gang may've been cannibals, and too violent for my tastes, but at least they didn't go around n' rape and enslave people like your fuckin' Legion did." The Courier retorted. "And I'm proud to say that I helped to fuck you guys over in Denver; heard that the Legion suffered pretty badly over the losses at Denver, with all those trade routes and dog breeders now lost to the Legion."

"I wouldn't know, given I'm fucking NCR." Picus growled. "I am Captain Ronald Curtis, a member of the NCR, and I want to be released now!"

"No see, here's what's gonna happen." Eli responded, shaking his head. "I'm gonna beat the ever lovin' piss outta ya, and you're gonna give me every bit of info you know about the Legion and these Frumentarii guys. You lie to me or try feedin' me bullshit? I'm gonna get my gun out and start shooting at ya; no fatal shots, but enough to make you hurt really badly. Ya get the picture, or do I have to give ya a demonstration of what I'm talking 'bout?"

"I'll scream for help." Picus retorted, a hint of desperation to his voice. "Someone will hear me."

"Sorry buddy, but that ain't an option for ya." Eli answered. "See, we are at the El Rey Motel, just a stone's throw away from Camp McCarran. The only person in this shitty motel that'd hear ya is a chem addict so coked outta his mind, that he probably thinks the ceiling is the floor. And given how the NCR is busy with preparing for Hoover Dam and all that, I doubt anyone is gonna be comin' around this way. So Picus, you are all alone, and ain't got no back-up to speak of."

"So you'd be willing torture a man, just to get some information?" Picus sneered, glaring at Eli. "I'm sure you're doing the NCR proud there."

"I don't give a shit 'bout the NCR; I'm more of a freelancer, than a proper soldier for them." Eli shrugged. "Sides, I prefer to wander, than setting down actual roots. But 'nough chit chat, I think. Time for a bit of truth tellin', don't ya think?"

As the sun began to rise on the Mojave, signalling a new day, the El Rey Motel still remained as deserted as ever. The only people that could be seen outside was a battered eyebot and an old Ghoul, wearing some kind of cowboy outfit. As Raul Tejada leaned against a wall, the weariness in his bones growing stronger with every passing minute, the door to the motel room finally opened, and the Courier stepped outside. There were flecks of blood on Cameron's grey shirt, and Raul was pretty sure that the blood wasn't from Cameron. ED-E the eyebot let out a series of happy beeps, as he floated towards Cameron. Eli gave the floating bot a small smile, as he lit up a cigarette and took a deep drag of it.

Peeking over the Courier's shoulder, Raul looked and saw the bloodbath that was the motel room. A chair laid overturned in the middle of the room, with Picus still tied to the piece of furniture. Or rather, what remained of Picus; the Legion spy's body had been battered and bruised to the point of being unrecognizable.

"Santa Madre de Dios, boss." Raul muttered. "Don't you think you went a bit too far?"

"The guy was bein' stubborn, and I needed the info." Eli responded. "And what I found out is important; given the loss of mosta their strongholds and losin' the Great Khans as allies, Caesar has decided that he now has nuthin' left to lose, and is preparing to launch a full-on assault of Hoover Damn in 72 hours."

"Three days?" Raul inquired, a surprised tone to his voice. "Dios mio, that's barely enough time to prepare, especially with bones like mine."

"Raul, you move better than I do." Cameron retorted, taking another drag of his cigarette. "Especially since that bitch Violet and her dogs fucked my left knee up."

"I said I was sorry for missing the shot, boss." Raul answered. "My eyes, they ain't what they used to be."

"And I said it was alright, Raul." The Courier stated, a wry smile on his face. "But now's not the time for nostalgia; we gotta warn everyone, let the NCR and shit know what's happening. You head on over to McCarran and tell Colonel Hsu, let him know what's up."

"You sure I'm the right person for the job, boss?" Raul asked. "No offence, but the NCR isn't exactly the biggest fan of Ghouls."

"Any NCR soldier starts givin' you shit, you just tell them that the Courier sent ya." Cameron responded. "They still give ya shit, get down their names, so I can hunt them down and break their fingers."

"I appreciate the levels of violence you're willing to reach to uphold my honour, boss." Raul answered, a wry grin on his irradiated face. "But what will you be going?"

"I'm gonna be runnin' around the Mojave and gather up my own army." The Courier responded. "Need to get Boone, Cass n' everyone else. War is comin' Raul and I ain't letting the Legion win."

"Whatever you say, boss." Raul answered. "But I'll be there by your side, your own vaquero bodyguard."

With that, the two gunslingers gave each other curt nods, before turning around and heading off to do their own business. ED-E momentarily floated silently in place, before quickly turning and rushing after the Courier. Cameron gave the eyebot a quick smile, before continuing on his quest.

The city of Freeside was abuzz with whispers and rumours, as the news of the impending Second Battle of Hoover Dam spread across the Mojave Wasteland. Quite a few people were making plans on fleeing to the Mojave Outpost and fleeing deep into NCR territory, as if already predicting a Legion victory. At the Kings School of Impersonation, the main base of the Kings gang, things were just as tense; several King members were stocking up on weapons and ammo, as if preparing for the worst case scenario. Eli Cameron and his eyebot ED-E stood standing, as they faced the leader of the Kings gang, the one and only Presley King. The King was sitting at a chair, a glass of water in hand, and a soft smile on his face. But Eli could see the worry in the King's eyes, the tinge of anxiety that the fate of the entire Mojave was about to be decided at Hoover Dam.

"So the rumours are true, huh?" The King inquired. "Word of mouth is that the Dam is gonna be fought over again."

"Yep, that's right." Eli answered, a curt nod of his head. "And that's why I need Rex; he's proven to be capable of handlin' himself in a fight, and I'll need every helping hand I can get."

"Well then daddy, let the Kings help you out." The King responded. "We might not exactly be good old buddies with the NCR, but they're a heck of a lot better than the Legion. We're prepared to fight to the last man, out there."

"Nah, you guys are needed here." The Courier responded. "If somethin' should happen at the Dam and the Legion wins, Freeside and the Strip will be the only major defence left. And I'd rather have you guys here, cause you seem like good folk."

"That makes sense, but I'll still ready my men just in case." The King answered. "But I must say something; for a Courier, you are one cool cat. Once this Battle is over, c'mon back to Freeside and I'll personally induct you into the Kings."

"If I make it out alive." Eli stated.

"Buddy, I'd bet money on you making it out alive." The King stated. "Heard plenty of stories about you and I gotta say, you are one tough customer."

Eli didn't say anything to this, just tipped his hat at the leader of the Kings. Before the conversation could continue, the sound of barking filled the air, as Rex appeared. The cyberdog nuzzled his head up against Cameron's leg, before letting out a few more barks.

"Please take care of ol' Rex out there, would ya?" The King asked. "He's a good dog, one of the best I've known."

"I'll make sure of that, King." Eli responded, before turning around and making his exit.

The Courier made his way out of the Kings School of Impersonation, before turning to face his two companions. ED-E and Rex were loyally standing near Eli, showing just how much they cared about Cameron. A wry smile appeared on the cowboy's face, as he tipped his hat back.

"Sorry guys, but I'll need ya to be headin' off to Hoover." Eli explained. "Need to make this trip as quickly as possible and that means no companions slowin' me down, sorry."

ED-E let out a series of sad beeps and Rex began whining pitifully at this news, but Eli just stared at the two silently. As the seconds slowly dragged into minutes and Eli continued to stand his ground, Rex and ED-E finally gave in. The two non-human companions turned around and began making their way towards Hoover Dam, but not before giving Eli one last look. The cowboy just stood there until the two disappeared into the distance, before turning around and making his way towards his next destination.

The Lucky 38 casino was as silent as a graveyard, the only sound being heard was the whirring of circuits and gears from the many Securitrons that inhabited the casino. The silence was to be expected, as the Lucky 38 had been mostly devoid of human life for the past 200 years. But that silence was soon broken, as a commotion broke out at the Presidential Suite.

Eli Cameron stood near the elevator to the Suite, staring at the two women in front of them. The woman on the left was a small mousy woman, with short black hair and bundled up in an ugly burlap robe. A worn power fist was on the mousy woman's hand, obviously a treasured possession for this woman. This was Veronica Santangelo, former Brotherhood Scribe and now member of the Followers of the Apocalypse. The woman on the right was a bit older, with fiery red hair tied up in a ponytail and a pissed off look in her eyes. This woman wore a ripped leather jacket, jeans and a cowboy hat, with a Brush Gun in her hands. This was Rose of Sharon Cassidy, former caravaner and current alcohol-enthusiast.

"You gotta be shittin' me, Lucky." Cass growled. "The fucking Legion is comin' now?!"

"In a few days, they're gonna attack the Dam." Eli answered. "Raul has already sent word to McCarran, and they're preparing for a fight. The Second Battle of Hoover Dam is 'bout to arrive, and I'm getting everyone prepared."

"What do you need us to do, Eli?" Veronica inquired, the usually cheerful woman now deadly serious.

"Gear up and weapon up." The Courier explained. "Grenades, guns, launchers, mines, whatever you can carry. Then head up to Hoover Dam, and meet up with everyone else."

"And after that?" Veronica asked.

"We fuckin' kick Legion ass, that's what." Cass interrupted, a confident tone to her voice. "We take them Legion fuckers and throw them off the fuckin' Dam."

"That's what I had in mind." Eli admitted. "Just kill every Legionnaire until the NCR wins. Simple and easy, really."

"That's not a plan." Veronica stated. "That's a death wish."

"Ain't forcing ya to join up, V." Eli answered. "It's alright for ya to stay up in here and hold down the fort with Yes Man; ain't no-one gonna judge you. Wish I could stay n' chat, but the clock is tickin' and I need to notify everyone else."

The cowboy gave the two women a tip of his worn hat, before turning around and entering the elevator, with the doors shutting behind them. Rose of Sharon Cassidy and Veronica Santangelo stood there for a few moments, staring at the Lucky 38 casino logo etched onto the metal elevator doors, before they leapt into action.

The two women rushed into the master bedroom and started opening all the wardrobes, lockers and trunks inside, sorting through the piles of weapons and armour that littered the Presidential Suite. While this was happening, Cassidy decided to peek behind her and catch a look at Veronica. The former Brotherhood scribe was busy examining a displacer glove, a look of concentration on her face. The hood to her scruffy robe had fallen off, revealing her short brown hair. A few curse words escaped Cass' lips, as she saw how perfectly Veronica's hair framed her face, or how her eyes didn't have that glassy dead look to them that nearly all Wastelanders had, orhow a playful smirk always seemed to be graced on Veronica's lips…

The former caravaner quickly shook her head, knocking that train of thought down before it could go any further. It was wrong, beyond fucking wrong, for her to think like that. Cass was way too old and too bitter to be having a fucking little girl crush, especially one that was directed at a girl that was a decade younger than her. But Cass had found herself growing way too comfortable around the younger Veronica, enjoying her corny jokes and playful attitude, even growing to miss it when she went out on missions with Eli. Heck, she'd even bought the girl a damn dress, because Cass knew that was Ronnie's biggest wish, to look pretty like the other girls, even if Cass always thought she was damn finer than any girl out there in the Wastes.

"So this is it, huh?" Veronica stated out loud, breaking the silence. "The big day where the good old NCR rush in and save the day from the evil Legion?"

"Here's hopin' that story ends that way." Cass huffed, as she got out a set of combat armour. "Cause I ain't stoppin' till my gun runs outta bullets or the Legion runs outta fuckers to send my way."

"Well then, that sounds like a pretty fool-proof plan." Veronica chuckled. "Those Legionnaires will take one look at you and they'll be quaking in their sandals."

"They fuckin' better." Cass responded, as she started putting on her armour. "Cause I ain't takin' no prisoners."

Veronica just gave a nod to that, as she pulled out her T-51 Power Armour. The metal was scuffed and scratched in several places and definitely in need of a tune-up soon, but it would be serviceable for the job ahead. Rose of Sharon Cassidy let out an annoyed grunt, as she finished putting on her combat armour; the outfit felt tight in certain places and she was pretty sure were crushing her tits. Fixing up her hair, Cass turned around and started making her way towards the elevator.

"Wanna go out to dinner?" Veronica blurted out, a faint blush on her face.

The former caravaner stopped dead in her tracks, a frown appearing on her weathered face, as she slowly turned around. Veronica was currently sitting on the master bad looking down at the ground, the T-51 Power Armour on the ground near her. Curiosity was evident on Cass' face, as she stared down Veronica; that question, that request, there was more to it and Cass was determined to figure out what it was.

"What?" Cass asked, confusion evident to her tone.

"I asked if you want to go out to dinner?" Veronica repeated. "Not now, obviously; a war is right on our doorstep. But like, when everything is done and dusted and the heroes have saved the day, would you want to head over to the Tops and get dinner there?"

"Like, as friends?" Cass asked slowly, as if hesitant about the answer.

"W-well, no not really." Veronica admitted. "More like…..well, like a date."

The world seemed to come crashing to a fucking still, as Veronica's words hit Cassidy like a Super Mutant fist. A date, like fuckin' romantic and shit? Cass was half-tempted to check her pulse, just in case her heart finally shitted the bed and she was having some kind of coma-hallucination. Veronica's face was red with embarrassment, as she was unable to even look Cassidy in the eye. As much as Cass' hated to admit it, she couldn't help but find that cute as fuck.

"I don't know why I said that, I just thought it'd be something you'd like." Veronica blabbed. "You know, just two gals painting the town red and making all the guys jealous. It doesn't have to be a 'date' date, can just be –"

"Ya gonna wear that dress?" Cassidy asked, interest to her voice.

"The dress?" Veronica inquired, looking up to face Cass.

"Yeah, that black little number I got ya." Cass explained. "Real tight thing, shows off ya curves well. If this is gonna be a proper date, I'd want my gal to feel fuckin' sexy."

Veronica's eyes widened with shock, as she stared at the Californian native. Cassidy responded with a simple grin and a tip of her worn hat, before she turned around and headed to the elevator doors. The grin soon faded, as she realised something; she was gonna have to go find a dress to wear, cause she was sure as shit ain't gonna go out wearing ripped jeans and a dusty leather jacket.

"Looks like I gotta go shoppin' once this whole thing is done." Cass muttered to herself. "Shit."

The town of Novac was mostly peaceful, the giant Dinky the Dinosaur standing as proudly as it did the day it was erected. Novac was relatively lucky, as it had been largely untouched by the war that had plagued the Mojave, and as such the residents considered themselves to be lucky. In the inside of the Dinky the Dinosaur, resting in the giant dinosaur statue's mouth, were two men. The man on the left was wearing jeans and a cowboy hat, the other wearing 1ST Recon Survival Armour and a 1st Recon beret. The two men were just standing there silently, smoking cigarettes and staring out to the wastes.

"It's time, then?" Boone inquired.

"Yep." Eli responded. "Legion is 'bout to attack, and it's time to take them on."

Boone just nodded his head at that, taking another drag of his cigarette. The Courier couldn't help but notice how relaxed the NCR sniper looked, as if the demons that had plagued Boone was now appeased somewhat. It seemed that the trip to Bitter Springs and attacking that Legion slaving party had truly been a good thing for Boone.

"When everything is done and dusted, might head back home." Boone stated. "Might go back to First Recon."

"Oh really?" Eli inquired, an interested tone to his voice.

"Yeah, that's right." Boone responded, nodding. "Lt Gorobets came here a while back, said that I could return to First Recon if I felt up to it. Been thinking about whether or not to take the offer up."

"Ya should, honestly." Eli answered. "You're a good shooter mate, best I've ever seen. Your head might be a bit screwed up, but who isn't these days? Only can see good things comin' from you joining up."

"Maybe, or maybe not." Boone shrugged. "Just deciding, right now."

"Only thing ya can do, really." Eli responded, taking a drag of his cigarette.

"Yep." Boone stated.

Deep within the mountains to the north-west of the Mojave, where the ground was lush and the snow appeared, there was a small bunker hidden. The bunker had been locked tight for many years, a secret known only to a few people, but was now opened. As Eli Cameron examined the insides of this bunker, impressed by the high-tech armour and weapons within, he found himself face to face with Arcade Gannon. The Followers doctor had changed a bit in the past two weeks; there was a hungry look in his eyes, a determination, like he had to prove something. It was a look Eli had seen quite often, mostly in young men who had big shoes to fill, but it was something he could respect.

"How's everythin' going so far, Gannon?" Eli inquired, an interested tone to his voice.

"Everything is running like clockwork so far, Eli." Arcade answered. "Judah and the others haven't lost a step yet, it seems, and they are most anxious to be able to return to battle."

"Everyone 'sides Orion, of course." Eli smirked.

"Orion is still … unimpressed with the idea of fighting alongside the NCR." Arcade admitted, running a hand through his hair. "But he will be fighting at Hoover, make no mistake."

"Good, good." Eli responded. "And I suppose you'll be getting' your own Power Armour, like everyone else."

"Somewhat, yes." Arcade answered, a mysterious smile on his face. "Let's just say I'll be bringing some family history to Hoover Dam."

"Some family history, eh?" Eli asked. "Sounds like we've got an ace in the hole, then."

As the snow began to rain down from the sky, covering the mountainous areas of the north west in a layer of white, the isolated settlement of Jacobstown was slowly flourishing. Trade routes were being opened up, allowing the town more avenues of profit, and even better was that a cure for the Nightkin's schizophrenia was quickly being developed, in no small part thanks to the help of the Courier. Marcus and the rest of the Super Mutants could rest a bit easier at night, confident in the knowledge that the future of Jacobstown was secure.

Towards the western side of Jacobstown, in front of the pen where the Bighorners of Jacobstown were kept, two people were currently in the middle of a conversation. One was a scarred man in a cowboy hat, the other was a Nightkin clad in gardening clothing, a giant Vertibird blade-sword strapped to her broad back.

"Is everything alright, dearie?" Lily Bowen inquired, a gentle tone to her voice.

"The Legion is 'bout to attack Hoover, Lily." Eli answered. "I'm just gettin' everyone ready, making sure they're ready for the fight of their lives."

"I understand, dearie." Lily growled. "Those naughty boys are going to get a spanking from Grandma, don't you worry."

"I'm glad to hear that, Lily." Eli responded. "But have you been takin' your meds?"

"Of course, every day." Lily stated, nodding her head. "But would you like Grandma to stop, at least until we stop those naughty Legion boys? This sounds like a situation that Leo would be good at, and I want to help however I can."

"No Lily, please dontya do that." Eli answered quickly. "I don't want ya to go nuts during Hoover Dam, in case you hurt me or Cass or someone. Leo might be a tough sonnabitch, but he's too crazy."

"Language, dearie!" Lily growled, a disapproving tone to her voice. "Or else I will wash your mouth out with soap!"

"Sorry 'bout that, Lily." The Courier responded. "But please, keep on goin' with the meds please."

"Hmmm, if you're sure dearie, then I'll keep going." Lily answered. "But thank you so much for worrying about Grandma. You are a truly good boy."

Before Eli could even respond, Lily had lumbered forward and enveloped the cowboy into a tight hug. A loud groan escaped Eli's lips, as he felt his ribs being crushed by the raw strength of Lily. Cameron was just glad Lily was being gentle, otherwise he would have been broken in half by now.

"Grandma will be there, don't you worry." Lily stated. "I'll always be there for my special little guy."

"Great ta hear." Eli grunted. "But would ya mind easin' up a bit, 'fore you crush somethin' important?"

At the settlement of Westside, deep within the sewer systems, there was a hidden place. A place where people could go, to see blood spilled and fighters battle against beasts. A place where money was exchanged and lives were lost, where the only thing that mattered was survival of the fittest. This place was called The Thorn, and was run by a woman called Red Lucy. The owner of the Thorn was currently sitting on her bed and fixing up her prized weapon, a rifle that had been christened Dinner Bell. A smile soon appeared on Lucy's face, as she heard her door opened and the sound of approaching footsteps. Without even looking up, Red Lucy knew who had just entered her room.

"Welcome, my hunter." Red Lucy stated. "Have you come back from a harrowing adventure? Slain another beast? Dealt another powerful blow to the Bull?"

"Not yet, but I'm gonna have a heck of an adventure soon." Eli Cameron retorted, tilting his hat up. "But I'm also here ta say sayonara, Lucy."

"A farewell?" Lucy inquired, looking up to face Eli. "You will be facing the Bull head on, won't you?"

"Yep." Eli nodded. "The shit is 'bout to hit the fan at Hoover Dam and I plan on fightin' with the NCR and my friends. I also don't expect to make it out alive, so I'm here to say goodbye."

"But you are the strongest hunter the Thorn has ever seen." Lucy retorted. "You have managed to tame the Mojave, force the beasts to bow down to you, making them your master. Surely a man of your strength will be able to grab the Bull by the horns, and force them to kneel before you."

"It ain't as simple as that, Lucy." Eli grunted. "The Legion are stupid and stubborn, and they'll be fightin' to the death at Hoover. Plus, I'm gonna have to take down this Lanius that everyone's talkin' about. And from what I've heard and know, I probably won't be making' it out alive."

"You believe that Hoover will be your tomb, and yet you still go." Lucy mused. "You truly have the heart of a predator."

"Nah, just think I've lived long 'nough and cheated death one too many times." Eli responded, shrugging his shoulders. "Just have this gut feelin' is all, that Hoover will be where Death comes to collect me."

Red Lucy didn't say anything to that, just staring down at the rifle in her hands. As the seconds slowly stretched out into minutes, Lucy slowly got up and made her way towards the Courier, before handing Dinner Bell over.

"Take this, my hunter." Lucy stated. "Think of it as a thank you from the Thorn, for all your good deeds."

"Mighty kind of ya, Lucy." Eli responded, a smirk on his face. "But I ain't exactly a rifle guy, though. Always preferred me a pistol."

"Well maybe this will be more to your suiting." Lucy retorted, before leaning in and kissing Eli.

The Courier just stood stock still for a few seconds, feeling Lucy's lips pressed against his, before he leant into the passionate embrace. His hands wandered down Lucy's figure before resting on her hips, as their kiss became more and more heated. After a while, the two finally broke apart, with Lucy having a hunger in her eyes.

"Maybe I can thank you in a more suitable manner, my hunter." Lucy stated with a grin.

"I'd really love that, but I can't. Hoover is gonna be startin' any minute now, and I ain't gonna be late to the party." Eli responded, shaking his head. "But listen …. I've been 'round the block a lot and visited a lotta places. Been from Malpais to Denver, from Colorado to Ronto. And The Thorn? The Thorn has been a place I really liked, and even felt like home to me."

"The Thorn will always welcome you, my hunter." Red Lucy stated. "You have been one of our greatest hunters, someone we truly are proud to have within our ranks."

The time for battle had come, the day that most people were dreading. The NCR and the Legion were on opposite sides of the Dam, ready for a full-on massacre. The tension in the air was thick, thick enough to be cut with a cosmic knife. But towards the entrance of Hoover Dam, a small group had formed, with a man in a cowboy hat at the front. The man in the cowboy hat was currently staring down one of his compatriots, who was clad in power armour.

"Arc buddy, what in God's name is this?" Eli muttered.

"It was my father's personal set of power armour." Arcade Gannon explained. "It's completely unique and I'm more than confident will give us an edge in this battle."

"Ya look like some kinda battery." Eli responded, chuckling a bit. "But nah seriously mate, smart thinkin' right there. Let's see those idjit Legion get passed this with their spears and pea shooters."

Eli turned, to face the rest of his group. Raul stood there in his vaquero armour, armed to the teeth with pistols and grenades. Lily had a fierce look on her mutated face, as she clutched her Vertibird sword tightly in her giant hands. Boone was resting against a nearby wall, his sniper rifle strapped to his back and a cigarette in hand. Veronica was decked out in T-51 power armour and a power fist, looking as fierce as any Brotherhood Paladin. Rose of Sharon Cassidy stood next to Veronica, wearing a set of combat armour and carrying a brush gun, a cocky look on her face. Rex and ED-E were there too, looking just as determined as everyone else to help Eli. As the Courier stared at his group, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. He might've fucked up a lot in his life, and done things he wasn't proud of, but this right here? This was something he could be proud of.

"Well then, what are we waitin' for?" Eli stated, looking at everyone.

"Waiting for me, my hunter!" A new voice shouted.

Eli and everyone else turned around, confusion on all of their faces, as they saw someone running towards the group. The Courier's eyes widened slightly, as he saw that it was Red Lucy, decked out in metal armour and wielding her Dinner Bell. The owner of the Thorn had a determined look on her face, as she ran up to the group.

"I pledge my allegiance to you, Eli Cameron the courier." Red Lucy stated. "The Thorn knows and I know of how strong you are, and there is no-one who's side I would want to be by then your's. We shall make the Thorn proud of what we do this day, by expelling the Bull from our lands."

"Ya ran all the way from Westside, just to join up with me?" Eli inquired.

"Of course, my hunter." Red Lucy nodded. "There is no greater honour I could achieve, than by fighting alongside the Mojave's greatest predator."

"….well shoot, didn't expect this." Eli admitted. "But I ain't gonna say no to an extra gun. Welcome aboard there, Lucy!"

Red Lucy gave a nod and a smile, before she went to stand with the rest of the group. Eyeing down the group, a determined look evident in his one good eye, Eli Cameron honestly felt confident standing there at Hoover Dam. He might not make it, but he was gonna be damned if he would let that bastard Caesar win today.

"Alright gang, time ta saddle up!" The Courier shouted. "Let's go and show those Legion bastards why they shouldn' have messed with the Mojave!"

Holy freaking balls, how did I write this much? Like I honestly did not plan for it to be over 6000 words, and yet somehow I managed to type out this mammoth of a story. I'd like to thank Flooj9235 and TinyFakeFanficRock, for inspiring me to write this specific New Vegas oneshot. I'd also like to thank all of my readers, for being patient with me and supportive of what I write. Anyway, I hope to see you guys and gals soon!

Love,

The Desert Dancer